Wednesday, October 06, 2010

The Descent: Part 2

(2009) **

I liked the first Descent quite a bit. Although I think I talked myself into a lower rating during my review. (You can also read JSP's and Octo's if you so desire.)

So, The Descent: Part 2 begins right where the first one left off. Sarah - the last one standing in the first movie, turns up alive, out on a long single lane road in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. We find out there are search crews looking for the missing girls as it turns out one of them - Juno (aka, the "bitch") - is the daughter of a Senator or some other important politician. When it comes to light that there is a survivor (even though she has amnesia), the Old Man Sheriff gets all demandy and decides to drag her out of the hospital and back down into the caves to help find the others. Even though he really suspects her of killing all of them. So here's a good idea, let's bring the "killer" with us! WTF?

Old Man Sheriff is a total douche-bag. You really want him to bite it in a gruesome way - which he does eventually - but not before many examples of complete and utter WTF? moments.

I'm not only the President of the Douche-Bag Club. I'm also a member.

So they go back into the caves and all hell does indeed, break loose. There are some good claustrophobic moments - as there were in the first. (Reminds me that I never want to go into any uncharted caves.) And Sarah is all about getting the F out of dodge.

Come with me if you want to live.

But there is so much that was just completely lame. The dialogue, for one, is terrible.

Old Man Douche: "What are those things?"
Chick in Cave: "Death."

I mean, come ON!

Plus, they seemed to be going more for the gore this time, but not in a good way. Skull bashing, throat ripping, pick-ax tearing - sounds great, right? Bleh. The first movie didn't need it, and it was scarier. There are also many gratuitous "dead peoples' blood or monsters' blood going in someone else's mouth" shots. The first time was ick - but by the third I was kind of, "Eh, really?"

And the ending, frankly, just pissed me off. So - if you have not watched The Descent I would say - it's worth your time. This one? Not so much.

7 comments:

Johnny Sweatpants said...

"Skull bashing, throat ripping, pick-ax tearing - sounds great, right? Bleh. The first movie didn't need it, and it was scarier." Well put!

Also I very much like the word "demandy".

I didn't even know this movie existed. Now I'm ambivalent about its existence.

JPX said...

Dagnabit, you scooped me! I had this in my pile to watch. Nice summary. I'm disappointed to hear that it's not so good. I really enjoyed the first one. I think this one was direct-to-video, which is always a bad sign.

Catfreeek said...

I had this in my queue as well, so disappointing. I really liked the first one too. Shitty dialog is the worst. Blah. Nice review and thanks for the heads up.

Landshark said...

Hm, I should give the Descent a shot. That and Female Vampire, of course.

Octopunk said...

Holy crap! I had no idea this existed either. I recall JPX posting about it's eventual arrival, but... oh well.

I'm sorry this was disappointing but your assessment is excellent. Both of the items that JSP showcased and the overuse of "blood in the mouth." Capital Meh.

Whirlygirl said...

I really enjoyed the first one. JPX and I went to see it in the theater on one of our early dates, so it it holds a special place in my heart. Claustrophobia, blood, and monsters...he's quite the romantic.

Landshark, I'm glad you mentioned Female Vampire. I think everyone should watch and review it.

JPX said...

I knew Whirlygirl was "the one" early on when she demonstrated a willingess to watch horror movies and put up with my action figures. Once she started donning her Whirlygirl costume and taking pictures of herself jumping in various places that cinched it. She's a unique find.

Whirly, Whirly, Whirlygirl, whoo Whirly, Whirly, woo, Whirly, Whirly!

Malevolent

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