The Descent

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The Descent

R

2006

1h 39m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

187 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

A year after a severe emotional trauma, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) goes to North Carolina to spend some time exploring caves with her friends; after descending underground, the women find strange cave paintings and evidence of an earlier expedition, then learn they are not alone: Underground predators inhabit the crevasses, and they have a taste for human flesh.

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Critics Consensus

Deft direction and strong performances from its all-female cast guide The Descent, a riveting, claustrophobic horror film.

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Alyx Vesey

Bitch Media

01/07/2021

While I think we should question the authority of the ubiquitous male writer-director to shape horror productions, I think Marshall does a good job representing his female characters.

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Sarah Lilleyman

TIME Magazine

10/15/2008

Marshall could very well be the Caravaggio of the B-movie.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

09/24/2007

This intermittently effective UK horror thriller carefully establishes the psychological relationships among the women, then squanders this calibrated and generally plausible setup with a series of crude, implausible, and scattershot horror effects.

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Sep 23

10/10

This is a fantastic horror movie that hits a lot of different beats of horror. It deals out claustrophobia, dread, jump scares, interpersonal drama, all while passing the Bechdel test. A rare accomplishment in any horror film.

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Akos Peterbencze

The Screen

10/31/2024

In Neil Marshall’s 2005 horror masterpiece, darkness emerges as a living organism. It shifts and lurks and claws its way into our nerves, under our skin, and eventually, inside our heads.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

08/19/2023

... a film stripped to bloody basics, a ferocious and taut exercise in action horror that recalls early James Cameron, with more gore and less sentimentality.

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Oct 12

The Descent scares from the first to last scene. Claustrophobic and nauseating in the best way.

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Austin J

@Austin765 6d

By far the Greatest Horror Film of the 2000's besides the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I'm sure many would agree. I love the way the creatures looked in this film & the direction Marshall went with. A true classic & 5/5 Stars easy!

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Miranda A

@Mirrebou Dec 28

Now, imagine Outlast and Until Dawn mixed together...

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Ryan A

@Ryrymoviewatchguy Dec 28

The first-time watch this would be a 4 and a half, but on a second its is a less visceral and engaging experience and has several leaps in logic both of actions by the characters, and the continuation of the norms established early on of the environment (it becomes less of a cave and more of the circles of hell seen in the works over the years of Dante's Inferno. However, a second watch also can offer the ability to think about the work that went into creating the visual environment, and much of it reinforces a metaphor of grief and despair and mental health decline that can come after the loss of a loved one. Much of their choices were very remnant of choices of the underworld in Greek mythology, and yet also great sci-fi horror spin. The finale also leaves some lacking as does the justification and predictability of certain characters ends...

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Junior A

@DATURTLEJUICE Dec 27

Great cast , funny but scary moments if you put yourself in their shoes , overall kept me engaged the whole movie

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Kevin L

@Dragonmasta784 Dec 25

The Descent comfortably sits atop most "Best Horror Movie Lists" and for good reason. Atmospheric, unnerving, and a tense story line to match, The Descent is a must see for horror fans.

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Neil Marshall

Director

Shauna Macdonald

Sarah

Natalie Mendoza

Juno

Alex Reid

Beth

Saskia Mulder

Rebecca

Nora Jane Noone

Holly

The Descent: Official Clip - Sudden Death

2:02

The Descent: Official Clip - Words of Warning

2:18

The Descent: Official Clip - The Creature Looks Human

2:46

The Descent: Official Clip - Blood Bath

2:28

The Descent: Official Clip - Holly's Death

2:10

The Descent: Official Clip - Fighting Back

2:13

The Descent: Official Clip - A Rock and a Hard Place

2:15

The Descent: Official Clip - If We Stay Here, We'll Die

2:01

The Descent: Official Clip - Juno's Descent

2:13

The Descent: Official Clip - The Killing Floor

2:08

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Synopsis

A year after a severe emotional trauma, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) goes to North Carolina to spend some time exploring caves with her friends; after descending underground, the women find strange cave paintings and evidence of an earlier expedition, then learn they are not alone: Underground predators inhabit the crevasses, and they have a taste for human flesh.

Director: Neil Marshall
Producer: Christian Colson
Screenwriter: Neil Marshall
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Celador Productions, Lionsgate Television
Rating: R (Strong Violence and Gore|Language)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 4, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $26.0M
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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