The Descent (2006)

As the writers and actors style continues,  it has allowed me to drive back into some of the horror movies I have watched,  but failed write about four whatever reason.  Some of this is because when I started the blog,  I hadn't gone back to watch them and others may have been missed because of my work schedule. The first one of those is a gross mistake on my part,  as I reviewed the sequel. That movie is the 2006 entry The Descent. 

Plot: A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.

I remember watching this the first time while deployed near the Horn of Africa, as a horror fan,  it was awesome when something that was not only new,  but so worth watching came up on our lackluster system.  This was one of the more memorable films i watched on the deployment,  and one that i really enjoyed rewatching all this time later. The movie features a tremendous claustraphobic and heavy atmosphere,  that creates a sense of fear and dread throughout. The cinematography is outstanding, the cast does an amazing job, and the script draws the viewer in and really never let's up.  Being deployed,  i have no idea what the reception was,  but this was a highly original movie that was definitely one of the best of that year. In fact, the movie holds up quite well, and was a fun trip back to that time period for me. If you haven't watched it, give it a shot. 

The Descent Part 2 (2009)

After totally enjoying The Descent, I was not quite sure what to expect from this sequel. However, I soon found out that The Descent Part 2 was a much better choice than Blood Creek, which I had grabbed earlier in the week.

Plot/ Distraught, confused, and half-wild with fear, Sarah Carter emerges alone from the Appalachian cave system where she encountered unspeakable terrors. Unable to plausibly explain to the authorities what happened - or why she's covered in her friends' blood - Sarah is forced back to the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing companions. As the rescue party drives deeper into uncharted caverns, nightmarish visions of the recent past begin to haunt Sarah and she starts to realize the full horror and futility of the mission. Subjected to the suspicion and mistrust of the group and confronted once more by the inbred, feral and savagely ruthless Crawlers, Sarah must draw on all her inner reserves of strength and courage in a desperate final struggle for deliverance and redemption.

To me, sequels are always a mixed bag and this one is no different. Unfortunately, when you are sculpting a follow-up to one of the best horror flicks in years, you are already asking for trouble. While this film is solid, it is nowhere near the original. The acting, the cinematography, and even the script lack the depth of the original movie (somewhat expected). However, there is quite a bit of gore, guts and throat gouging that does a great job of keeping the movie moving quite smoothly. While not perfect, or even close to the original, this is a great couple hours on any evening for horror fans (especially if you watch them back-to-back like I did!).

The Descent (2005)

The other night, my wife called and asked if there was anything that I wanted to see from the Red Box, so I asked for The Descent: Part 2. After hearing that it started where the first one let off, I decided it was time to revisit one of the better movies (The Descent)  I had seen during the middle part of the decade (2005).

Plot/ After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition. Their adventure soon goes horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground and they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty creatures. As their friendships deteriorate, they find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive the creatures and each other.

This is not only a great horror film; it is an outstanding film in any genre. Many non-horror fans do not know what they are missing if they have not had the privilege to watch this one, which offers some great directorial and cinematography elements within a diverse and challenging backdrop. For any horror fan, the combination of gore and a nightmarish creature is perfect. This movie keeps you at the edge of your seat throughout, and most importantly stands up quite well as it ages. If there is one downfall, it is that the acting dips here and there, but it too is quite good. If you have not seen this yet, do not hesitate and just grab it!