JPX says, "Go see The Descent!"

The Descent [Trailer]

The Descent (2005) *****

A group of friends, who enjoy indulging in extreme sports, set out on an all “girls” weekend in the Appalachian Mountains to engage in some hard-core caving. After descending into a really deep, dangerous-as-hell cave, it doesn’t take long before things go horribly, horribly wrong.

From the commercials, it’s easy to summarily dismiss The Descent as just another disaster/monster movie along the lines of The Cave or Below. Don’t be fooled, however, because The Descent is the scariest, most effectively-executed/realized horror film since The Ring. I’ve seen The Descent twice now and I can honestly say that it doesn’t lose any of its punch upon a second viewing. Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers) creates an incredibly clausterphobic setting fraught with real-world peril. At times I found myself taking sympathetic diaphragmatic breaths in order to ensure that the characters on screen were able to breath as they wormed their way through jagged rock, water-filled, MRI-sized labyrinths. Marshall’s ability to depict the sport of extreme caving is so effective, that for a little while you’ll forget that this is a horror film. If this were merely a documentary on thrill-seeking behavior, I would’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. But it gets even better. Halfway through the film the monsters show up and then the real fun begins - and by “fun” I mean unrelenting, bone-crunching, bloody, kill-or-be-killed action. By time it ends you’ll relish standing outside in the open space. This must be seen on the big screen. Highly recommended.