The descent (2005 film) - Essay Example

The Descent In this paper I would like to analyze the film of Neil Marshal – The Descent - this is the second attempt to create an unusual film about the people - monsters struggle in the complete isolation from the outside world. The Descent of Neil Marshall is considered to be one of the best thrillers of modern times. Its true: there are quite eerie surroundings of dungeons and creatures that inhabit it, and own fears and instincts of the main characters that are released at will. The psychological component is especially strong: again, the typical human behavior in extreme conditions which interlaces with relationships between characters.

If you mix all these ingredients – it will be really scary. Throughout the film almost all the actions take place in darkness, that keep us in tension and this situation does not give us the chance to relax for a minute. It is so terrible, and here also turns out that the caves are inhabited by eerie creatures that are clearly intended to gobble up the girls. And the panic begins not only at characters but also at the audience. The sense of presence is created, and is not a reason to be frightened?

The first half of the movie is really good. Firstly we are showed the good scenery, a house in the woods and of course beautiful views of caves, which I was really impressed. The scene of the girl’s talk after the collapse, I think the most interesting and most memorable moment of the movie (a panic, the flow of all the possible accusations of each other and blame game in this situation was shown excellent). Further, everything is still good enough too. Also an interesting point when one of the girls saw a monster for the first time, and when she began to tell about it her friends who did not believe her.

I should notice a good shooting inside the cave. I think that just darkness allows to create the necessary atmosphere in this picture, as if the audience was plunged into darkness and chill of the damp cave. I did not like how the monsters were traced. But how weak and helpless they were in a battle that even weak girls could defend themselves so easy. Since the creation did not see anything and were guided only by the sound, it seemed to deal with them was too easy. It is also not clear why there were such enormous quantity of bones, and in some places even flashed toothy jaw of a wolf or of a bear, although underground creatures, if they went out into the street just could not hunt.

When the girls approached the cave they saw the corpse of an elk, which, as I understand according to the authors, these cave creatures killed. But in fact, they would never catch elk up. And predators (wolf or bear especially) could kill a couple of ‘terrible Monsters’ and ate as a delicacy. The film was a success, most likely, not of completely terrible savages and dark caverns but because of the constant tension between the main characters in such an extreme situation, willing to do anything, just to get out.

Horror and panic, fear and anger, frustration and self-preservation instinct, which in some places really make wonder allows the audience to like this film. In my opinion The Descent is an atmospheric thriller-horror with a psychological slant, one of the most memorable in the genre.Work cited:Marshal, Neil. The Descent. Lionsgate, 2005.