Rating of
2.5/4
"The Descent" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 05/21/12
While potholing in an unexplored network of caves, six women are set upon by a race of subterranean nosferatu-like beasties. And well, that's it. Neil Marshall seems to have set his stall out as making a living ripping off Predator, this the follow up to the hugely enjoyable but similarly derivative Dog Soldiers. I must admit, I found the first half of the film a little tiresome; it's basically just watching a group of twenty-somethings on an adventure holiday, but when the creatures appear things definitely pick up. The use of lighting is extremely atmospheric, Marshall sticking to singular light sources as much as possible and it works very well. There are a few genuine shocks, and it's great fun watching the heroine transform from a mopey Bridget Jones-alike to such a blood-thirsty bad-ass she makes Ripley look like Mary Poppins! I missed the humour of Dog Soldiers and it relies a little too heavily on the stock "things jumping out at you"/"lights going out" devices common to most horror films but on the whole it's quite enjoyable. I just wish it'd got to the point a little quicker...
