Come anticipate The Descent with me (spoilers etc)

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I don't know about you all, but this movie looks awesome to me. Six athletic women, trapped in an uncharted cave, scary albino humanoids, and lots of B-Grade thrills, chills and spills... OF BLOOD!!!!

Esquire, Bitch. (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Thursday, 3 August 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

Seriously, I am going to see this ASAP.

Esquire, Bitch. (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Thursday, 3 August 2006 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

ditto! women + cave monster = my ass in the theater!

de latebloomer's 2015 youth crew revival (latebloomer), Thursday, 3 August 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

i haven't seen a movie as custom designed for me since Species

de latebloomer's 2015 youth crew revival (latebloomer), Thursday, 3 August 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

It is terrific. It was out here in the UK last summer and unfortunately coincided with the bombings so it, er, bombed - but is a really, really well made horror film.

I wrote about it here:
The Descent Of Woman

Pete (Pete), Thursday, 3 August 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

the monsters look ridiculous

ferzaffe (flezaffe), Thursday, 3 August 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

I really liked it too. I liked the slow set-up and how naturalistic the women's chat and friendships were.

Alba (Alba), Thursday, 3 August 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

I think saying there are monsters is a bit of a spoiler. For a long time in the film I wasn't sure if there really were going to be any.

Alba (Alba), Thursday, 3 August 2006 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

I agree, I liked how it was a straight-up survival thriller for the first hour. Great photography and design as well.

chap who would dare to start Raaatpackin (chap), Thursday, 3 August 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

This was just about my favourite film of last year. It just worked. I know some people had problems with the ending, but... not me.
x999999999999999 better than Dog Soldiers.

David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 3 August 2006 21:39 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently US version has a slightly different ending. Interesting. Report back Stateside horror fans.

Pete (Pete), Friday, 4 August 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

I hope they haven't just cut out the final twist.

chap who would dare to start Raaatpackin (chap), Friday, 4 August 2006 10:38 (nineteen years ago)

phew, i thought this thread was about a remake. i'm never scared by movies but i have to tell you that this film is terrifying!

jed_ (jed), Friday, 4 August 2006 18:51 (nineteen years ago)

The wikipedia page claims they cut out the final twist, but I saw it last night and I am pretty sure they didn't (although according to IMDb they did shorten the last scene a little).

I thought this was AWESOME, especially since all the female characters were totally believable and not rock climbing in bustiers and miniskirts. :D The atmosphere of the cave itself was a lot scarier than what was in it, but I thought that just showed some actual thought and effort into making the film really scary. I screamed a couple times. :/

Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Saturday, 5 August 2006 17:50 (nineteen years ago)

Haha great, does the series of pictures on the left side of http://www.cinemaclock.com/aw/crva.aw/p.clock/r.sco/m.Halifax/j.e/i.9442/f.The_Descent.html give away the final few minutes of the film?

chrisco (chrisco), Saturday, 5 August 2006 20:28 (nineteen years ago)

I saw this last summer without any prior knowledge of the movie. Arrived about 10 minutes late at the theatre, so the first scenes I saw were just women drinking and chatting and being big-girly-pamper-party etc. I thought it was gonna be a total tampon advert of a movie, but then it gets seriously gorey porey. Seriously thrilling stuff.

ZOT! (davidcorp), Saturday, 5 August 2006 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

last few minutes were excellent. very good.

The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Saturday, 5 August 2006 20:34 (nineteen years ago)

Saw it last night, very good...

def zep (calstars), Saturday, 5 August 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

I'm in the US...interested to hear what possibly changed with the ending, since I'm not too clear on what I saw myself. Does ILX support white colored text?

def zep (calstars), Saturday, 5 August 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

I can't speal for everyone, but I'm against it.

Alba (Alba), Saturday, 5 August 2006 21:35 (nineteen years ago)

chrisco, none of the pictures there give away the twist.

zep, IMDb gives an account of what was taken out of the ending.

Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Saturday, 5 August 2006 22:27 (nineteen years ago)

hmm i liked this but hated the ending...apparently the UK ending was longer/more ambiguous?

latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 6 August 2006 06:13 (nineteen years ago)

can someone link me to an account of the new ending? couldnt find it on imdb.

jed_ (jed), Sunday, 6 August 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

ITS ON YOUTUBE. THE US ENDING MAKES NO SENSE!

chaki (chaki), Sunday, 6 August 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

can someone post the u.s. movie poster? that thing is pretty freaky.

scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 6 August 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

UK ending:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xJgAj8HbVs

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

This one, Scott?
http://dreadcentral.com/img/news/july06/newdescentpost.jpg

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

no! the one where they are all linked together to form a skull. maybe it's just a newspaper ad.

scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

it's very Pilobolus meets Carrie.

scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

why the hell did they change the ending? there was no need to!

latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:42 (nineteen years ago)

seriously, hollywood is an evil fucked place.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:43 (nineteen years ago)

i hope the dvd has the original ending included

latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:45 (nineteen years ago)

So the one on youtube is better? (I haven't seen either)

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

Johnny Butane: Let’s get the elephant out of the room first and foremost and talk about the ending.

Neil Marshall: Okay...

JB: First of all if was your decision to change it and if so why…

NM: There are many conspiracy theories abounding, but yes, it is my choice; I thought we should give it a try. I don’t have a favorite ending, actually, if you asked me I couldn’t pick between the two.

I don’t think the U.S. ending makes it any less ambiguous, it’s certainly not a happier ending; it’s just different. One point of view is that the UK ending is actually a bit happier (editor’s note: you’ll have to see it to know what he means, I will reveal nothing). I compare it to Brazil, actually, in terms of the ambiguousness of the end.

Plus it’s been over a year since it’s been released in the UK and I’ve almost been given a second chance at releasing it with the U.S. We had toyed with both endings in the editing room, to the point where we were really wondering which we would use. So we stuck with the scripted ending for the UK and the rest of the world, but when the opportunity came to release it again I thought we should give it a shot.

Also, the response to the ending in the UK totally split audiences 50/50, some people loved and some hated it, so why not see how this one does?

JB: But the UK ending will be on the DVD here, correct?

NM: I can practically guarantee it. Just from Lionsgate’s point of view they’re going to want to get as much on the disc as possible.

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:51 (nineteen years ago)

still none the wiser about the US ending.

couldnt find a bigger version of this:

http://www.sfstation.com/images/articles/88/2088a.jpg

jed_ (jed), Sunday, 6 August 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

I really don't see how the ending is THAT much different in the US version. The UK version is more ambiguous and the final image in the UK version is a lot cooler, but it's really not that big a deal. Anyway, US audiences HATE ambiguity so from a knowing-your-audience standpoint it was probably a good choice.

Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Sunday, 6 August 2006 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

I never saw it when it was out but if it's anywhere near as good as Dog Soldiers it'll be a blast.

Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 6 August 2006 21:14 (nineteen years ago)

well, i guess i'm miffed that they cut out what was only a minute or so worth of footage and ended up only making the ending dumber. but i guess things could be worse. at least it'll be onthe dvd to balance things out.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 6 August 2006 21:45 (nineteen years ago)

predicting this'll be a huge financial success in the US.

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Sunday, 6 August 2006 22:15 (nineteen years ago)

Everything I've read said this played to mostly empty (7-12 people) theaters this weekend.

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

what do you read?

jed_ (jed), Sunday, 6 August 2006 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

Message boards!

ok, not too bad:
Opening in fifth place was the new horror entry The Descent with an estimated $8.8M from 2,095 locations. The R-rated fright flick about a six-pack of young ladies trapped in an underground cave full of flesh-eating creatures averaged a solid $4,200 per venue. Reviews were unusually positive for the genre and distributor Lionsgate pitched The Descent in its advertising as being from the studio that brought audiences Saw and Hostel. But the opening was far short of the $18.3M and $19.6M that those low-budget hits opened to. Still, with a modest pricetag of its own, the cave exploration flick looks to make a few bucks theatrically and dig up a bigger audience when released on DVD.

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

uh #5 is pretty huge for a low budget horror movie. btw all shows were sold out in hollywood last night.

chaki (chaki), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:06 (nineteen years ago)

The theatre I saw it in wasn't sold out, but it was pretty full--although it was probably a lot of people who couldn't get into Talladega Nights. I think this one will get a lot of good word-of-mouth.

Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:18 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, that's good. The reports I had read were from guys in places like Chicago and Houston on opening day.

Marmot (marmotwolof), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:19 (nineteen years ago)

"uh #5 is pretty huge for a low budget horror movie"

especially for a movie that has been out for a year everywhere else in the world! i assume that you can rent it by now, no?

scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:21 (nineteen years ago)

or maybe not. did they hold off on a dvd until they got it into u.s. theatres?

scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:22 (nineteen years ago)

its been on DVD here for a while.

jed_ (jed), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:23 (nineteen years ago)

well, there ya go. any money made in the theatre for a movie already on dvd is good money.

scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:24 (nineteen years ago)

It doesn't look like there's been a US DVD release, although a (British by the look of the ratings label) copy is available on Amazon.

Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Sunday, 6 August 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

This was pretty OK.

I'm confused, though - I don't know WHAT version I saw and the DVD I got from Netflix had bonus features, but none of them were an "alternate ending!!!"

The ending I saw was her hallucinating (???) getting out of the cave, running to the SUV, driving a bit, getting honked at by a semi, seeing Juno the "ghost" in the passenger seat, then waking up in the cave to her daughter and a birthday cake, camera pans out, The End.

What's the other version?? The Lion's Gate gestapo took it off Youtube...

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:02 (seventeen years ago)

Is this the movie where the front car passenger gets a rail through their head or was that Children of Men?

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:09 (seventeen years ago)

this one

gbx, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:09 (seventeen years ago)

I saw the movie but it didn't have her daughter or cake at the end. It ended with Juno next to her in the car

CaptainLorax, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:10 (seventeen years ago)

That was the most shocking/scary part of the movie.

xp

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:11 (seventeen years ago)

no way dude, the cave scenes totally gave me an asthma attack!!!

s1ocki, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:11 (seventeen years ago)

How I remember the Descent:

1. Whoa awesome poster!!!!
2. FUCK. RAIL to HEAD.
3. Cabin.
4. Cave. They're stck in liquid or something.
5. Gobbalins.

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:18 (seventeen years ago)

how i remember it:

1. cave
2. http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/1051/55054355.JPG

s1ocki, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:20 (seventeen years ago)

HAHAHAHA

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:21 (seventeen years ago)

How you remember Speed Racer:

1. Cars
2. http://weeklywire.com/ww/xtra/comic/feat-p1.gif

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:22 (seventeen years ago)

Someone tell that kid he can just put the little blue inhaler thing right up to his mouth

admrl, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:23 (seventeen years ago)

speed racer:

1. cars
2. http://www.firstaidmonster.com/images/products/FAM_ALEVE_CAPLET_100BT-1540.jpg

s1ocki, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:26 (seventeen years ago)

I think this is an excellent new format for movie reviews.

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:27 (seventeen years ago)

The bit with the tunnel caving in was absolutely fucking terrifying.

Everything got shit when they saw the monsters, which looked like leftovers from this:
http://www.impawards.com/1984/posters/chud.jpg

S-, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:30 (seventeen years ago)

Oh, I forgot, I also had a decentish crush on short-hairedy.

Abbott, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 05:30 (seventeen years ago)

is that kid sucking or blowing

moonship journey to baja, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 07:27 (seventeen years ago)

This is the best horror movie in recent memory, by far.

The "alternate ending" thing indeed comes from the fact that Lionsgate released it in the States with a "happy ending" - the U.S. release cuts out the last shot of her alone in the cave hallucinating the daughter's birthday cake.

Savannah Smiles, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:05 (seventeen years ago)

well maybe we need a happy ending for all horror movies from now on

CaptainLorax, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:16 (seventeen years ago)

apparently descent 2 is on the way

latebloomer, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:28 (seventeen years ago)

funnily enuff there was a little puff piece abt Ealing Studios on the local BBC news last night, Descent 2 is being filmed there right now - tho don't think Marshall is involved with it in any significant way

Ward Fowler, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:32 (seventeen years ago)

a really cheesy happy alternative ending would make every horror movie awesome.

for example: The Omen - "you're too late damion, you're gonna be fucked in the ass now"
Alien - "we'll I'll be a monkeys uncle. If you feed it cheetos it no longer wants to eat people"
I Am Legend - "wow that grenade almost blew me up. good thing I hid in the the secret chamber behind me and threw the grenade out before closing the door.

CaptainLorax, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:35 (seventeen years ago)

1. terrifying car crash, you assholes
2. introducing ladies who i won't be able to tell apart in low lighting + spelunking gear
3. omg cave, i'm never going spelunking ever, fuck you.
4. lol monsters

Jordan, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:43 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/12585

MyAnna Buring, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder and Nora-Jane Noone will all be returning in The Descent 2, which is now filming London with Jon Harris behind the camera, according to Empire Online. The four stars are all returning from Neil Marshall's popular film that put a bunch of female thrill-seekers in an uncharted cave filled with creatures. The website reveals that the four stars will be returning in a flashback sequence and that the sequel picks up where the American version left off. Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Gavan O'Herlihy, Joshua Dallas, Anna Skellern, Douglas Hodge and Krysten Cummings were all previously cast.

latebloomer, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:52 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/uploads/descent061608.jpg

Today the first official still was posted from Pathe's The Descent 2, which stars Douglas Hodge, Krysten Cummings, MyAnna Buring, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder and Nora-Jane Noone. Directed by Jon Harris, the sequel will continue the story of Sarah, who as the only survivor of an all-female caving expedition gone horrifically wrong, suffers severe psychological trauma. Unable to speak, she accompanies a rescue team back to the cave, but events once again take a sinister turn. Read on for a look at one of the monsters from the sequel.

latebloomer, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 12:53 (seventeen years ago)

a classic ealing comedy

s1ocki, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 13:51 (seventeen years ago)

The monsters were a bit LOL in this sadly.

Amazingly THREE FILMS ALL EXACTLY THE SAME came out about spelunking gobbalins in the same year; The Descent, The Cave, and some Russian film too.

Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 14:15 (seventeen years ago)

yeah forget the monsters, can we just have 90 mins of sheer claustrophobic spelunking terror?

ledge, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 14:26 (seventeen years ago)

spelunkcore

s1ocki, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 14:37 (seventeen years ago)

was the Cave any good?

Jordan, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 14:37 (seventeen years ago)

NO

latebloomer, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 14:39 (seventeen years ago)

I don't understand you people, the monsters were terrifying. The shot where they're looking into the night vision view of the camera and you first see the one looking over the lady's shoulder /// HOLY SHIT

Savannah Smiles, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 15:28 (seventeen years ago)

I really liked it, and found the monsters genuinely creepy. But then he went and made 'Doomsday', which looks like shit in a shit pie.

James Morrison, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 23:53 (seventeen years ago)

I was scared but it needed the wit and dynamic that Dog Soldiers had. Most of the women in this one where just mean. Plus the ending was ambiguous in an annoying way like in Lost In Translation...god that was awful

VeronaInTheClub, Thursday, 19 June 2008 00:08 (seventeen years ago)

ugh i need to see this so bad

Surmounter, Thursday, 19 June 2008 00:39 (seventeen years ago)

The shot where they're looking into the night vision view of the camera - Yeah, I think the creatures were generally done, but about 100 times scarier when shown through night vision. I hope the makers of the sequel recognize this, though I doubt the next one will be anywhere near as good as the first.

Best part by miles = blonde girl going batshit crazy in the pool of blood

Pillbox, Thursday, 19 June 2008 01:05 (seventeen years ago)

"generally well done"

Pillbox, Thursday, 19 June 2008 01:05 (seventeen years ago)

five months pass...

nnnnnnngggggggggggggggh uh uuhhhhhh

czn (cozwn), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:22 (sixteen years ago)

i don't remember this being any good. should i watch again?

Ant Attack.. (Ste), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:36 (sixteen years ago)

it's really pretty scary

I almost had an asthma attack just watching it

czn (cozwn), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:38 (sixteen years ago)

It's good.

chap, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:39 (sixteen years ago)

It reminded me I'd like to try caving.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 21:37 (3 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

NO!

czn (cozwn), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:40 (sixteen years ago)

i crawled through a tiny cave in Wales once, it was only about twenty feet long but so small. It was horrifyingly claustraphobic, yuk.

Ant Attack.. (Ste), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:52 (sixteen years ago)

that once sequence where they go the wrong way through that narrow crack was terrifying to me, and consequently the only good part of an otherwise thoroughly shitty movie.

Roberto Spiralli, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 13:55 (sixteen years ago)

^^^
Yes. I reiterate what I said five months ago, the missing picture is a C.H.U.D.

milling through the grinder, grinding through the mill (S-), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 14:04 (sixteen years ago)

Spiralli OTM.

Enrique (Raw Patrick), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 14:29 (sixteen years ago)

woulda been better without the bogey monsters.

sad man in him room (milo z), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 16:43 (sixteen years ago)

eight months pass...

Sequel!

Have to say the original is one of my favourite horror movies of the decade. This though looks about as subtle as a brick and is unlikely to bring anything new to the table.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50k3WdfN5qQ

all you proper coppers... i'm zipper the slipper (DavidM), Monday, 31 August 2009 09:20 (sixteen years ago)

tho I love the original as well, I don't see how they could make a proper sequel, except to execute the exact same set of circumstances on a different cast if characters, which is exactly what is seems as though they've done. So, at best, we'll get an inferior version of the original & at worst (shudder), we'll be treated to an expository backstory on the cave-monsters. I'm really kind of bummed they made a sequel to this, but I suppose it was inevitable.

Pullman/Paxton Revolving Bills (Pillbox), Monday, 31 August 2009 09:30 (sixteen years ago)

five years pass...

Watched this last night and holy shit it is cocking terrifying.

Matt DC, Saturday, 1 November 2014 10:41 (eleven years ago)

ten years pass...

streaming on Criterion Channel now ;)

sleeve, Friday, 3 October 2025 21:41 (one month ago)


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