The Descent

[kazzie]

So, *SPOILERS YEAH !*
I recently re-watched The Descent, a horror film (I guess?). I had watched it years ago and it had scared the shit out of me because I'm girly and scared and shit.

I've seen both endings, the UK and US one, and I wanted to know which one you prefer and why. I know it's an "heh" movie, it's not super, but I did find it entertaining. I guess that means I like it. It still scared me, though.

Online I've seen people discussing that there were no 'monsters' in the cave at all, and that the whole time Sarah was going cray-cray and killing everyone, like a descent into madness of some kind. What do you think of this theory?

let us talk

 

[MoshJosh]

can you give me a refresher on the two endings its been so long since I've seen it, but I found the movie pretty entertaining.

Not sure if its true but I heard that the actresses screams in the part when the first encounter the monsters was real and they had no idea they were going to be there???

 

[Captain Shoggoth]

English ending is infinitely superior, the US one only exists because American test audiences couldn't handle it.

Inferior US one also sets up the beyond shitty sequel

 

[kazzie]

can you give me a refresher on the two endings its been so long since I've seen it, but I found the movie pretty entertaining.

Not sure if its true but I heard that the actresses screams in the part when the first encounter the monsters was real and they had no idea they were going to be there???

If I'm not mistaken:
the US ending is where she gets up, leaves Juno in the cave, escapes and drives off and pukes out the window.

I think in the UK ending, this all happens, but she wakes up again in the cave and escaping was a dream.

 

[Xaios]

If I'm not mistaken:
the US ending is where she gets up, leaves Juno in the cave, escapes and drives off and pukes out the window.

I think in the UK ending, this all happens, but she wakes up again in the cave and escaping was a dream.

Pretty sure that's right. The UK ending is definitely better.

I really enjoyed this one, which is rare for me and a horror movie. The violence was extremely intense and yet never felt gratuitous, and the atmosphere was just spot on. Very well done. It's a shame Neil Marshal's future movies couldn't match up, but at least he gets the occasional gig directing awesome Game of Thrones episodes.

 

[technomancer]

Actually saw this one in the theater. Indifferent on the endings, either one works

 

[pestilentdecay]

UK ending is better IMO, it just gives a more eerie vibe as opposed to a measly jump scare at the end of the US one (ghost of one of the characters is sitting beside her in the car, forgot who).

 

[fenderbender4]

I actually thought it was a good movie. Hits on a lot of the tropes in horror movies but in a different way. I didn't know the second ending. Just saw the US one. To be honest, I jumped when I saw it, but afterwards I was really confused. It didn't fit at all with the rest of the movie. Are we supposed to believe the character was schizophrenic and now, after a traumatic event, is showing symptoms? Is the character real? Is this really supposed to be a ghost movie instead of mutated/evolved humans?

Overall, the rest of the movie is good. I saw the other, related one, "The Cave" I think? That one made me laugh and was thoroughly creeped out by the overtly sexual monster. Not in a, "great horror movie" kind of way, more like the creepy uncle vibe.

 

[wankerness]

Where are people getting the schizophrenic "the monsters were never real" ideas? That seems like something that really isn't even hinted at in the movie at any point and people are just looking for cause they've seen too many other movies with that kind of gimmick.

The english ending is a bit better but I don't think either one really saves/ruins the movie. It's like a 9/10 with the english ending and an 8.75 with the american ending. I haven't seen the sequel, but I know the main chick's in it and it's in the caves again, does it fit with the english ending or the american one? Or both?

This is one of the best horror movies of the 00s for sure, the first segment when they're just exploring the cave freaked me out the first time I saw it even though i'm not claustrophobic and despite the rest of the movie being less scary than before the monsters show up, it's still thoroughly entertaining and the characters and acting are all a lot better than usual for this kind of thing.

I'd say best horror movies of the 00s would be something like:

Let the Right One In
Mulholland Dr
Pan's Labyrinth
May
El Orfanato
[REC]
The Descent
Ginger Snaps
The Devil's Backbone
Ju-On: The Grudge (or The Ring remake)

 

[wankerness]

I really enjoyed this one, which is rare for me and a horror movie. The violence was extremely intense and yet never felt gratuitous, and the atmosphere was just spot on. Very well done. It's a shame Neil Marshal's future movies couldn't match up, but at least he gets the occasional gig directing awesome Game of Thrones episodes.

I really enjoyed Centurion but it's not up to the standards of the Descent, it's just ridiculous. His earlier "Dog Soldiers" gets a ton of praise too but I didn't like it at all. I really enjoy how he now primarily has this rep as being some kind of badass that is the only man able to handle the really huge GoT episodes, hopefully he can leverage that into some more solid movies. He seems like a really cool guy in interviews and stuff.

 

[pink freud]

If you liked The Descent and can appreciate weird movies, check out (if you can find it) Eden Log. It didn't get the greatest reviews, but go into the movie with zero expectations and it does suck you in to what it is trying to do.

 

[Grand Moff Tim]

I'd say best horror movies of the 00s would be something like:

Let the Right One In
Mulholland Dr
Pan's Labyrinth
May
El Orfanato
[REC]
The Descent
Ginger Snaps
The Devil's Backbone
Ju-On: The Grudge (or The Ring remake)

Haute Tension needs to be on that list.

 

[wankerness]

Haute Tension needs to be on that list.

I would almost go so far as to say I hated that movie, which is pretty unusual for me, I usually am apathetic about stuff I dislike. The main problem was the "twist" was completely nonsensical as it directly violated the laws of physics multiple times during the movie (especially the tasteless opening with the decapitated head fellatio) And despite being completely impossible within the film's plot, you could still see it coming from a mile away! The best kind of twist, both predictable and filled with plot holes. And I actually watched this movie twice to see if I was wrong about the plot being a train wreck.

Also, it seemed like an antiquated, reactionary LESBIANS ARE CRAZY!!! movie plotwise. I can usually deal with stupid themes like that as long as the movie is still well-done (ex, Basic Instinct), since it's not necessarily saying that about ALL lesbians obviously, but when it's such a mean-spirited, stupid movie as this, it gets no slack and I take offense to blatant homophobia like that.

The only positive about it at all was the massive quantities of non-CGI'd blood effects. I'm entertained by complex makeup effects and this definitely had some great ones. That odd new wave of french horror that Haute Tension fit into was interesting to me but it was by far the worst example of it I saw. Martyrs was the only one with real artistic integrity, and "Inside" was far better for sheer entertainment/suspense value.

 

[wankerness]

If you liked The Descent and can appreciate weird movies, check out (if you can find it) Eden Log. It didn't get the greatest reviews, but go into the movie with zero expectations and it does suck you in to what it is trying to do.

I've never heard of that movie, I'll check it out.

 

[Duosphere]

The Descent - I don't even see it as an horror movie I mean, it's not scary in any level unless you're 8 years old or never watched any horror movie.A bunch of people lost inside a cave being attacked by another species = there are a hundred movies like that, some in different places but still the same plot.I don't see any difference between being attacked by animals(lions, tigers etc) or by mutants, zombies, aliens, vampires etc, the results are the same we die
It's not a bad movie but still nothing new or scary, just funny.
To me the only scary thing is darkness, things we can't see, put yourself inside of an abandoned building at night then turn off your flashlight = your heart will feel like almost exploding cause darkness set our minds free so our worst nightmares "attack" us, imagination is a bitch

Oh and calling Ginger Snaps by horror is beyond belief, if you didn't laugh when you saw Ginger's tail growing or those bizarre characters(family), damn anything can scare you , I laughed from beginning till the end and yes I loved it

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

I thought it was a great horror flick. Good with cool scary looking monsters - that's always a big plus for me.

Not too bothered about the ending either way. I'll probably take the standard ending where she gets away.

 

[wankerness]

The Descent - I don't even see it as an horror movie I mean, it's not scary in any level unless you're 8 years old or never watched any horror movie.A bunch of people lost inside a cave being attacked by another species = there are a hundred movies like that, some in different places but still the same plot.I don't see any difference between being attacked by animals(lions, tigers etc) or by mutants, zombies, aliens, vampires etc, the results are the same we die
It's not a bad movie but still nothing new or scary, just funny.
To me the only scary thing is darkness, things we can't see, put yourself inside of an abandoned building at night then turn off your flashlight = your heart will feel like almost exploding cause darkness set our minds free so our worst nightmares "attack" us, imagination is a bitch

Oh and calling Ginger Snaps by horror is beyond belief, if you didn't laugh when you saw Ginger's tail growing or those bizarre characters(family), damn anything can scare you , I laughed from beginning till the end and yes I loved it

I can't really understand a lot of your post, but are you saying something's not a horror movie unless it scares YOU, personally? Most horror movies aren't scary, even the good ones. Ginger Snaps isn't scary, it's a pretty gory werewolf black comedy with great characterization that ends up being a movie about decay and loss ala Cronenberg's "The Fly." It is very assuredly a horror movie!

Bragging about how something didn't scare you and thus is "really funny" and saying other people are stupid for liking it is like, the behavior of a 14 year old that listens to metalcore and plays magic the gathering in the high school cafeteria. Just, ugh, what are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to impress? Do you have to get scared by something for it to be good?

In summation, I think Duosphere is a pretty cool guy. he laughs at the descent and doesnt afraid of anything

 

[mcsalty]

The Descent - I don't even see it as an horror movie I mean, it's not scary in any level unless you're 8 years old or never watched any horror movie.A bunch of people lost inside a cave being attacked by another species = there are a hundred movies like that, some in different places but still the same plot.I don't see any difference between being attacked by animals(lions, tigers etc) or by mutants, zombies, aliens, vampires etc, the results are the same we die
It's not a bad movie but still nothing new or scary, just funny.
To me the only scary thing is darkness, things we can't see, put yourself inside of an abandoned building at night then turn off your flashlight = your heart will feel like almost exploding cause darkness set our minds free so our worst nightmares "attack" us, imagination is a bitch

Oh and calling Ginger Snaps by horror is beyond belief, if you didn't laugh when you saw Ginger's tail growing or those bizarre characters(family), damn anything can scare you , I laughed from beginning till the end and yes I loved it

Do you not see the irony in criticizing someone else's fears while at the same time being afraid of something so trivial as the dark?
That question might come off as me doing exactly what you were doing, but in a way that's kind of the point.

 

[Duosphere]

I can't really understand a lot of your post, but are you saying something's not a horror movie unless it scares YOU, personally? Most horror movies aren't scary, even the good ones. Ginger Snaps isn't scary, it's a pretty gory werewolf black comedy with great characterization that ends up being a movie about decay and loss ala Cronenberg's "The Fly." It is very assuredly a horror movie!

100% agreed, still horror TO ME means it has to scare ME, that's my opinion, horror comedy it's another thing.Again it's my opinion, nobody has to agree...........or disagree
Ginger snaps is more about all problems and changes teens go through.
Sadly the second part is terrible.

Bragging about how something didn't scare you and thus is "really funny" and saying other people are stupid for liking it is like, the behavior of a 14 year old that listens to metalcore and plays magic the gathering in the high school cafeteria. Just, ugh, what are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to impress? Do you have to get scared by something for it to be good?

I never said that, you assumed it.I said I don't see Ginger Snaps as a horror but as a horror comedy so I can't see how people could think it's scary because it's funny, again that's my opinion about a movie and it has nothing to do with saying people are stupid or smart which was not my intention, I'm sorry if I sounded that way.

 

[Xaios]

14 year old that plays magic the gathering in the high school cafeteria.

Hey man, totally agree with everything else you're saying, but don't go there.