Of course, movie ratings are always somewhat subjective – and so are different leaderboards. Nevertheless, when movies make rankings like this, it means something. And if, for example, a film in the horror genre manages to put current megahits such as “ES”, “Conjuring” and “Saw” in their place as well as popular classics such as “Braindead” and “Tanz der Teufel”, Genre fans should keep their ears open. spits. Rightly so, because “The Descent – abyss of horrorA must see for horror fans.
“The Descent” is currently available at Amazon Prime video – but only until July 1, 2023. So if you still have the intense creature feature on your watchlist, it’s worth skipping the movie sooner rather than later:
… and fans of the genre with a penchant for oppressively claustrophobic horror, we can only recommend taking a look. A nerve-racking journey awaits you in an intricate cave system, where many a sinister danger lurks – and that (unlike some of the film’s TV coverage) fully unabridged with FSK-18 approval!
“The Descent”: effective shocker with a twist
At the center are six young women who take an excursion into a cave system. So far so good. What the group of female adventurers (Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Saskia Mulder, Molly Kayll, Alex Reid, Nora-Jane Noone) don’t expect, however, are the dangers lurking in the underground vault.
As they descend, it soon becomes apparent just how narrow and intricate the cave system really is. It happens as it should: you lose your way – and soon you search in vain for an exit. And then there’s the growing evidence that they’re not alone down here. Some creatures seem to be up to mischief – and the women already have their sights set on them…
writer and director Neil Marshall (“Dog Soldiers”, “Doomsday”) masterfully plays on human primal fears in The Descent. With an oppressive setting and a tension that increases due to the most diverse circumstances, he literally suffocates not only his protagonists, but also his audience.
“The Descent” not only scores with an incredibly dense atmosphere (and a convincing ensemble of actresses you’ll love rooting for), but is also uncompromisingly ghastly horror cinema in scenes that honestly earned its 18 rating. The horror fun is rounded off by the fact that towards the end you also get one or the other surprise, which briefly tears the rug from under your feet.
Incidentally: Also “The descent 2“ Absolute must see! Not as original as the predecessor, and yet the “solid bloodthirstiness is convincing on a good level”, as the conclusion of the FILMSTARTS review says, among other things. In the end it was still a good 3.5 out of 5 possible stars.