The whole subtext of friendship and betrayal is key. Juno was having an affair with Sarah's husband. Grief and loyalty play a role especially when Juno left the other girl to die. Sarah could not forgive twice.
@@RaefonB yeah to me its only important if they got the ending I remember. People are mentioning their is two versions of the ending. the ending I remember was her daughter and a birthday cake.
I think what makes this movie so terrifying is the situation they are in being trapped in a cave is BAD ENOUGH. Like you can stop right there this is already nightmare fuel. And then... "How about some monsters too?"
I already saw this when it came out and to this day just hearing the name of the movie makes my chest thump away. I didn't even want to watch this with the lads on the channel but here I am.... right now I'm only 7 minutes into this reaction vid and had to pause, start reading the comments to take my mind and thumping chest a break.
IKR?! That first scene was terrifying enough for me that they didn’t need any monsters. Lol. Hell, give me the monsters instead of that tunnel hole where that girl was stuck. I could barely breathe at that part!
I thought the surviving in the cave part was scarier than the monsters in my case. After the monsters showed I became less scared for whatever reasons.
@@duncan9661 I have a bigger problem with how he has to look at Tom every time either of them speaks. I mean, how can he give a film a fair rating when he spends 60% of it staring at his boyfriend?
What really makes this one so painful is that all the characters are so relatable. Even the one who is entirely at fault for them being in the situation has some level of empathy.
Juno was the only one trying to put herself against the crawlers to protect others. Everyone else pretty much panicked and only looked out for themselves. That was kind of the point. Juno was an asshole in a lot of ways but also noble in a lot of others. The trauma really broke Sarah and made her unable to see those shades of grey when she decides Juno should essentially be executed for her transgressions.
YESSS! TOTALLY AGREE! These horror films NEED to establish relationships with the audience. Make you FEEL for them. The more you FEEL for them, esp if you LIKE them, it's harder to watch them die. Many horror films miss this. They make jack asses out of the guys and bitches out of the girls so when they die it's like "meh" ok next. A great horror film imo will always make you feel empathy for at least some or 3/4 of them. For the sake of just saying this... HOSTEL missed this all the way around. It was gruesome horrible sick from but they guys were all jerkoffs. Had they made them relatable, it would have been so much better even one of a kind being it had mostly an all-male lead cast. The only death I liked in that film was when those two bitches that lured them to the ART SHOW died when they got ran over. Those two girls played the best roles IMO.
@@judson9223 i think it’s also possible Sarah had somewhat lost her mind by the end of the movie. the weight of her grief, the gruesome deaths of her friends, and the traumatic situation at hand are probably among the things that could have tainted her mind.
@@sarahlawrence599 Oh, definitely! That's why I love this film. Apart from the monsters, the story of Sarah's "Descent" into madness was well-plotted. And our own ambivalent feelings towards Juno support our appreciation for Sarah's character arc.
“Imagine seeing this at the cinema.” I did. My mother took me, and we had the entire theater to ourselves...made the experience a whole lot scarier. Will never forget.
First time I ever watched the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, sometime back in the early/mid '80s, I was the only one in the theater so that was a super creepy experience...especially when some employee from the cinema suddenly walked about the theater in the dark...
Honestly amazed you guys didn’t really enjoy it all that much. I keep this film on such a high pedestal of horror. It’s normally what I tell people to watch whenever they ask for a recommendation
I like to think of it as very enjoyable but the execution is very wonky. They are right that the script is kinda wishy-washy - the first time I watched this, no matter how much I enjoyed it, I couldn't really tell the girls apart from each other.
I agree! The film was a superior horror film receiving great reviews. Personally as horror films go I couldn't fault it in any way & therefore gave it a 10/10
The US ending to me ended more abruptly with Juno’s ghost in the car imo, whereas the UK one the one you saw had a much darker ending where she’s still in the cave and sees the ghost of her daughter and the birthday cake. Tom not enjoying it says everything. 😂
You’re assuming that she was thinking clearly & rationally & has not just been buried underground, in pitch blackness, fighting for her life against terrifying creatures who’d she recently witnessed physically devouring her best friends.
THANK you! Beth's blood was NOT on Juno's hands. I mean, it was. And also her face. And Sarah's face. Where was I? lol Oh, yeah. Why would Beth sneak up on J when her friend was still in beast mode? That one's on her! And then throws Juno under the bus to Sarah because she's pissed she's about to be molepeople chow! Could've told Sarah ANYTIME about her philandering husband. Nope. Waits until now. I love getting irrationally-irritated by horror movie crap. Favorite pastime:) ha
Not only did she make an idiot choice, sneaking up on someone, after what just happened. She then makes it seem, as if Juno DELIBERATELY, stabbed her! And what Sarah did to Juno was also a dick move.
Considering it could just as easily ended in the monsters getting her instead I would say that is not a fair question. Calling out would likely have meant death for her to.
I'm honestly surprised nobody has talked at all about the theory that there were no creatures at all. She has a mental breakdown that ends up having her kill everyone and dream up this idea of monsters to make her guilt about getting revenge for the cheating husband/friend and her degrading into an animal-like rage herself, easier to swallow. Instead, she feels it all.
Exactly. A lot seem to skip over that Sarah was having a breakdown and didn't take meds while on the trip. The title can also mean the descent into madness.
To be honest I don't buy that only 2 of them would fight back. Cave diving is not for the weak of heart - they would all be bad asses. I would have found it more realistic if 1 or 2 overplayed their confidence but folded psychologically in the cave which led to them becoming easy prey.
@@GhoulishGwyn Continuing off the ending of the first movie was already bad enough. It's somehow a try-hard sequel that is very lazy at the same time. I know Sarah being the only character wouldn't work but there's no excuse for any of the others to be alive.
I think I saw an ending totally different from everyone else. The one you saw looked like a combination of the English/American endings. However, the one I saw had the main character periodically, throughout the movie, remembering her child that she lost. Then in the end, she has a vision of celebrating the child's birthday, and then the camera pulls back to show that the main character never escaped the cave. To me that was the most poignant ending.
@@edisonlima4647 - I think that's right. I believe it was on a rental DVD that included all the possible endings. This brings up a weird mini-annoyance about movies in the modern age. When you see multiple endings to a movie - and one is CLEARLY the best one - and then years later, you find out that the only currently available version of the movie doesn't have the best ending.
I actually think the first half of the movie was infinitely more terrifying than once the crawlers showed up. I’ve never felt more claustrophobic in my life.
I think one of the master strokes about this film is the scene where the girls are standing in a circle with the infra red camera and the camera pans around to see one of the creatures behind them. In the dvd bonus features you find out that none of the actors had even seen the creatures up to that point, and didn't know that was going to happen, so those screams from the actors are real.
LOl, shaun making Tom jump out of his skin, that made me die almost. i can't help think of the real life case of john jones who died by getting stuck upside down in the nutty putty caves when rewatching this movie .
The injuries and deaths are brutal in this movie. Very few films make me wince like this while watching. Damn good survival horror film. 8.5 review score.
This whole movie is phenomenal! The Descent into madness you get from grief. Facing your inner demons. You sort of enter a kind of purgatory. One in which you can’t escape! Easily a 8.9 for me! Either you get the subtext and undertones or you don’t.
The whole setup of this movie, even though it's minimal, does a GREAT job of letting us know about the key players and their relationships with each other. That is hard to do in such a small amount of time but the writing and acting is just so good. This is in my top 10 favorite horror films.... I just love it. (also, the ending with the flashlight/birthday cake is so heartbreaking too)
I actually prefer the American ending, even though it’s a cop-out. The American ending stops with Sarah escaping and seeing Juno in the car. Sarah escapes , but is haunted by the ghost of Juno.
@@jimhaggard7436 that's nowhere near as disturbing as this ending. A girl haunted by a ghost is kind of cliché and average, to me that could be the ending of any movie.
@@NocturneSoul that’s why I liked it better, I guess. It was a cliche, but not as bleak as the original ending. I can handle twists and supernatural endings better than nihilistic ones.
@@jimhaggard7436 See, that's where I think the real horror lies in this movie, not all the awful stuff the group experiences, but the fact that even though Sarah lives, she doesn't survive.
I’m surprised you guys didn’t rate it higher. It’s honestly one of the best horror films to come out of the 2000s. I really enjoyed the dialogue and them meeting up at the cabin. This was one of the few films to terrify me when I first saw it.
The lack of characterisation at the start of the film might be deliberate ; all of the characters know each other, hence no need for lengthy exposition. Their interactions prior to the caving expedition establish them all , apart from Juno, as decent, friendly people who care about each other. Would the film really have benefited from greater character backstory ? IMHO, it wouldn't. I'd have given it a higher rating but it's all down to personal taste.
Though this was set in the Appalachian mountains, it was actually shot in Scotland. It's actually pretty good match overall. I lived in Asheville for 7 years, and it's very wet with low mountains and pine trees. By the way, the locals hate it when people pronounce it App-a-lay-chun. It's pronounced App-a-latch-un.
Something you both missed is that this movie is about lost, friendship, betrayal and mental health. The main character is still in a grieving state from the lost of her husband and child. Friendship because they're gathering to help heal her but sadly they can't survive it. Betrayal because her husband had an affair with her best friend and her best friend then goes on to betray others in the cave. The mental health is that the main character doesn't take her meds while on the trip.. she's slipping further into her own madness while trapped. There's different theories to this film including that everything is playing in her head as well as she's the killer. I think you gave a ridiculously low rating..especially since you based stuff on the first act.. in which you missed key elements.
Mo Mo Thanks for sharing that. I didn't like this movie, thought it completely boring. Nothing more than a student project. I don't remember the film at all, so I can't even say if I noticed your points or not when I watched it. I'm glad there's more to it than my impression, so thanks for writing that.
@@SwampBrat19 to be fair I think this movie works best in theaters. I watched it with some other friends recently and they also totally missed the fact Juno had an affair with Sarah's husband. I think the sound editing when watching it when Beth kind of spills the beans is hard to hear/connect unless your volume is at the max and it can be difficult to pick up on the looks Juno and Sarah's husband give each other at the start of the movie and remember that moment after everything happens.
The ending is depressing though because they all die and she had already been through so much even before she set foot in the cave. I freely acknowledge that it's one of the better horror films I have seen, but I've never been tempted to watch it again after the first time because I truly hate those kind of endings.
Personally it's one of my favourite go to horrors. The claustrophobia is insane as is the prosthetics for the creatures and that ending is beautifully ambiguous! It's much better than a 6.5/10 in my opinion.
It's interesting but if you notice Sarah is a completely different person when she comes out of the blood pool. It's like she's reborn again but not from fire like a phoenix but from blood!
This concept was so original, the special effects, the location and the monsters were so good. The cast was awesome, they had great chemistry and the relationships were believable. And of course the claustrophobia it showed was so palpable. The second wasn't as good but it was ok.
I watched this movie without knowing ANYTHING about it, which is the best way to do it. When THAT happened I almost fell from the couch. The next day I showed the movie to my cousin and a friend without telling them anything about it (again, the right way to do it) and was in the kitchen when I heard them screaming. I imediatelly knew at what point they were. I only experienced that reaction, that consistently, with "Gerald's Game".
Glad you're watching some neil marshall, he has some class movies - plus he's a geordie, so gotta support your own ;) You guys neeeed to check out Dog Soldiers by him too :).
Just read, about an hour ago, that Neil Marshall is in the early planning stages of a Dog Soldiers sequel. In the article it said that it was supposed to be 3 films and a sequel was first announced in 2003 but by 2006 it was shelved because of disagreements. It looks like it will now become a reality.
I saw this movie on HBO a year after it's Release and it scared the hell out of me! It's quite the claustrophobic thriller where cave explorers find themselves hunted by someone or something that begins to pick them off.
Not sure if you guys caught it, since it wasn't highlighted in your video, but Juno had an affair with Sarah's husband. Hence the weird moment between them in the beginning and him being distant in the car. Also Sarah's daughter was killed in the accident too. Later, Sarah discovers I think a necklace, (been a while since i saw it) to realize that Juno killed their friend. So there was a lot of "reasons" for Sarah to lose it and kill Juno. While this movie can be simplified into a survival horror film I think the narrative drama is more subtle but a strong undertone of the film. This film in many ways can be dissected into a movie about grief and the grieving process.
So many great jumps scares! But the greatest one was when Shaun scared Tom at the beginning 🤣 I was waiting for him to do it again Awesome movie! Looking forward to you guys watching the 2nd one
the cave in the movie was made out of multiple giant movie sets also the girls didn’t know what the crawlers look like until they showed up in the first scene they were in
Underrated horror masterpiece. We went to see it without really knowing what it was about, and I didn't expect the white, subterranean creatures. They probably exist in West Virginia.
First off I love this movie and I'm excited to see how you guys like this one. Second, 7:16 when the smile dropped I don't know why that made me laugh so much xD
I saw in the theater in 2005, around the time of Hostel, which I also saw in the theater. That was a great time for horror films, especially The Hills Have Eyes remake and Hard Candy. I recommend the last two films I mentioned as reactions for your channel.
With Shaun scaring Tom, this makes the reaction more entertaining. 😄 I actually watched this while wearing some of your merch as well as Tom. Very comfortable. 👍
Props to The Descent for not breaking all of its own internal logic in the last five minutes like High Tension did. Most twist endings make everything make sense and High Tension does the opposite.
Great reaction, guys! Glad you included the true director's cut ending. A bit disappointed you didn't appreciate it on the different levels it works on. While the film can be viewed in a straightforward way, I personally feel the best perception of the film is that The Descent is Sarah's. Her ptsd (that she's been treating with medication) triggered by the stress of them being trapped made her snap. Notice the sounds of the creatures you hear in the beginning sounds like children giggling. The progression of the 'daughter with a birthday cake' fantasy eventually evolves into the creature's formation. With her being the "creature", so to speak. One could surmise Sarah killed everyone. Everyone's fright and escape from the creatures were really their fear of Sarah after she snapped. It's the false narrator theory. While it's a stretch, it's plausible.
It's one of the very few found footage movies I enjoyed and it is almost the ONLY found footage movies where It makes sense for the footage to still exist at all (I remember a found footage movies in which the world ended and I was just like: "Wait, so WHO would have ever found this 'found footage' if the camera explodes???"
Tom! 6.5?! This movie is fun and DIFFERENT from other horror films! But to each their own I suppose man. Another great reaction! LOVED your reactions through-out!
My dad got the film on DVD and I had no idea there was an alternate ending!! Thankfully our DVD kept the original ending, and I prefer it so much over the US one (yeah, the ending is really bleak, but I love Neil Jordan's explanation for it; that even if we the audience think that it's not a happy ending, for Sarah, it is a happy ending because she's with her daughter and really that's all that matters)
I loved this movie. It was a great take on a b-movie creature feature, but I swear to god the scariest thing in the whole movie is when theyr're squeezing through that tiny passage; I couldn't breathe.
Just about to watch your video now but wanted to say beforehand that I saw this one mentioned in your live chat (last week?) and thought it'd be a great one for you to do. Love the film and for something I'd never heard of before my first viewing I was definitely impressed with it. Even before we reach the 'horror' part of the film just the thought of being stuck in the conditions they were in was gripping.
This is, in my opinion, the greatest modern horror film ever made and one of my favorite horror movies! Also, the reason Sarah betrays Juno towards the end is because Juno had an affair with Sarah’s husband before he died.
Regarding the dialogue at the beginning, I read the similarity as showing how long these people have been close friends. It's natural for people to adopt sayings, references, and mannerisms over time. But hey, I could be wrong and it could just be mediocre writing. :)
I believe the original ending was cut in the US-version! There, the movie ended with her escaping in the car - therefore the sequel. But considering the original ending - no, a sequel would be impossible.
My friend Jon and I saw this the summer it came out and we knew nothing about it. We literally would see every movie that came out without watching previews because Jon worked at the theater. This movie was sooooooooooooo freaky!!!! Love it!
Due to the unexpected outcome of this film when I first watched it, I came out really loving it. The cinematography, the look, the acting and the look of those crawlers. It was enough to have the cave be so mysterious, claustrophobic and dark yet adding in those Crawlers (although some prefer just the cave setting) makes the film change a lot and when a film can accomplish a shift in tone for the audience I can really appreciate it, giving familiar faces an unfamiliar setting for chaos, horror and drama to unfold. Love it. It fooled me for sure.
@@turma8eac What's her arc, though? The movie is called the descent, it refers to both the physical descent and Sarah's own descent into depression and grief. That's why (imo) the hospital hallway envelops her in darkness like the cave later on, after realizing what's happened to her family. If she gets out and is haunted by betraying Juno, who had already betrayed Sarah in the first place, I'm very confused as to how that completes her character arc.
Yep. The sequel only works with the American ending because that version cuts off right when Sarah sees Juno's ghost, hinting she lives but is forever haunted. Sequel continues after Sarah gets to the hospital. Personally, I prefer the UK ending.
Fun fact: The women didn’t know what the monsters were going to look like. The first time they saw them, their screams were genuine. Also, you should watch the alternate ending. If I remember correctly, it was better than the one in the movie. I love your reactions!
FUCK YES FINALLY. Ugh this movie is so underrated and the atmosphere it builds is unreal. The claustrophobia and the reveal of the crawlers is just perfect. Also Sarah is a great character
Lolz... watching you guys stressed out was great. I saw this with my horror movie bud and we were emotionally exhausted afterwards. Great stressful movie. I think you let the stress and feelings get in the way of how you looked at it. The dialog wasn't amazing but not bad. To me, being able to make you feel that way was a positive for the film, and it means that you did connect with the characters.
I’m a newer sub so I don’t know your names yet. But the way the guy in the white shirt screams is cracking me up. I don’t know why it’s so funny to me. I’m trying to laugh quietly to myself so I don’t wake anyone but that isn’t working out. I love how instead of screaming “ahhhh!!” like anyone else normally does, you scream “RUN!!” even if it doesn’t fit the circumstances. Hilarious! Great movie, great reaction. Good luck with your channel
I live close to the Appalachian area, I’m in western Kentucky...I went to Ruby Falls a while back and went to an underground cave 420 feet (sorry I don’t know the meters 🇺🇸) it reminded me of this movie while I was down there ☠️
I hope Shaun doesn't plan to do those jump-scares to any future GFs while watching a movie because they will end him right quick lol. Edit: I saw this in the cinema twice. Absolutely amazing film in a dark theatre.
My cousin and I do that to each other all the time. You have to be able to screw with your besties! hehehe You also have to expect to be punched in the bleep for it too.
They didn't have to add monsters in the movie, just the claustrophobia of the tight spaces inside the caves and psychologic stress it puts on the mind when there is no way out and then they could have put in drama where the mc finds out about her friends affair with her husband . The message of this story is that you don't go to any place in nature that isn't explored if you are a amateur ,even with an expert, because even experts die when faced with angry nature. I agree with 7/10 rating, great set design and creatures ,bad dialogue and last action scenes felt little like a super hero movie where the mc kicks everyone 's ass and is unbeatable.
I'm actually shocked by the low rating. The Descent for me is up there with the best of the new age horror right besides Martyrs, Frontiers, Inside and High Tension. I guess we have different criteria as i value atmosphere and the ability to make me genuinely afraid (which is pretty hard at this point) a lot more than dialogue. A horror movie that doesn't leave me empty like my own humanity has been violated is a disappointment.
The whole subtext of friendship and betrayal is key. Juno was having an affair with Sarah's husband. Grief and loyalty play a role especially when Juno left the other girl to die. Sarah could not forgive twice.
Yep..
yeah I also don't think they noticed her daughter died in the car crash too
@@BEYEXI I was just thinking that, they only mentioned her husband and not the kid.
@@RaefonB yeah to me its only important if they got the ending I remember. People are mentioning their is two versions of the ending. the ending I remember was her daughter and a birthday cake.
@@BEYEXI , When I saw it in the theater, I don't recall her still being in the cave at the end.
Juno accidentally stabbing Beth was so heartbreaking
I think what makes this movie so terrifying is the situation they are in being trapped in a cave is BAD ENOUGH. Like you can stop right there this is already nightmare fuel. And then... "How about some monsters too?"
The monsters are the cherry on this shit cake
Yes. Spelunking will NEVER make since to me. Claustrophobia makes it impossible for me to ever even consider such a hobby. That, and laziness.
I already saw this when it came out and to this day just hearing the name of the movie makes my chest thump away. I didn't even want to watch this with the lads on the channel but here I am.... right now I'm only 7 minutes into this reaction vid and had to pause, start reading the comments to take my mind and thumping chest a break.
IKR?! That first scene was terrifying enough for me that they didn’t need any monsters. Lol. Hell, give me the monsters instead of that tunnel hole where that girl was stuck. I could barely breathe at that part!
I thought the surviving in the cave part was scarier than the monsters in my case. After the monsters showed I became less scared for whatever reasons.
the best movie to go into with no to minimal knowledge. all you really need to know is that its about cave divers getting lost in a cave.
That's basically all it is. No need to know more than that because there is no more than that.
@@duncan9661 I have a bigger problem with how he has to look at Tom every time either of them speaks. I mean, how can he give a film a fair rating when he spends 60% of it staring at his boyfriend?
@@duncan9661 It kinda miss the whole point of doing movie reactions right?
Yep when i saw this in theaters I was like ohhh shit. Ahead of its time. Classic imo
Spelonkers. Cave divers do flooded caves.
What really makes this one so painful is that all the characters are so relatable. Even the one who is entirely at fault for them being in the situation has some level of empathy.
Juno was the only one trying to put herself against the crawlers to protect others. Everyone else pretty much panicked and only looked out for themselves.
That was kind of the point. Juno was an asshole in a lot of ways but also noble in a lot of others. The trauma really broke Sarah and made her unable to see those shades of grey when she decides Juno should essentially be executed for her transgressions.
@@judson9223 Excellent point and observation.
YESSS! TOTALLY AGREE! These horror films NEED to establish relationships with the audience. Make you FEEL for them. The more you FEEL for them, esp if you LIKE them, it's harder to watch them die. Many horror films miss this. They make jack asses out of the guys and bitches out of the girls so when they die it's like "meh" ok next. A great horror film imo will always make you feel empathy for at least some or 3/4 of them.
For the sake of just saying this...
HOSTEL missed this all the way around. It was gruesome horrible sick from but they guys were all jerkoffs. Had they made them relatable, it would have been so much better even one of a kind being it had mostly an all-male lead cast. The only death I liked in that film was when those two bitches that lured them to the ART SHOW died when they got ran over. Those two girls played the best roles IMO.
@@judson9223 i think it’s also possible Sarah had somewhat lost her mind by the end of the movie. the weight of her grief, the gruesome deaths of her friends, and the traumatic situation at hand are probably among the things that could have tainted her mind.
@@sarahlawrence599 Oh, definitely! That's why I love this film. Apart from the monsters, the story of Sarah's "Descent" into madness was well-plotted. And our own ambivalent feelings towards Juno support our appreciation for Sarah's character arc.
Can we just take a moment to acknowledge Juno’s INSANE upper body strength
No.
Yes
Yup, insane is right.
Oh wait you meant her muscles...
kek
Just wait until you see the sequel where you find out she's been down there fighting all the monsters by herself for God knows how long lol
@@kidneystonermusic the sequel takes place right after this one ends, she's been down there for about 2 days, maybe less.
“Imagine seeing this at the cinema.”
I did. My mother took me, and we had the entire theater to ourselves...made the experience a whole lot scarier. Will never forget.
Yes, I did too and I'll never forget the image of an all black screen and their tiny lights in the corner. So claustrophobic!
Me too. They did a great job making that cavernous theater feel very small.
Me too. Terrified.
Yeah I see it with just one other person there. I will never know how I got through watching a movie like this.
First time I ever watched the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, sometime back in the early/mid '80s, I was the only one in the theater so that was a super creepy experience...especially when some employee from the cinema suddenly walked about the theater in the dark...
Honestly amazed you guys didn’t really enjoy it all that much. I keep this film on such a high pedestal of horror. It’s normally what I tell people to watch whenever they ask for a recommendation
Same!
I like to think of it as very enjoyable but the execution is very wonky. They are right that the script is kinda wishy-washy - the first time I watched this, no matter how much I enjoyed it, I couldn't really tell the girls apart from each other.
I agree! The film was a superior horror film receiving great reviews. Personally as horror films go I couldn't fault it in any way & therefore gave it a 10/10
Agreed
@@linuen34 Disagree
The US ending to me ended more abruptly with Juno’s ghost in the car imo, whereas the UK one the one you saw had a much darker ending where she’s still in the cave and sees the ghost of her daughter and the birthday cake. Tom not enjoying it says everything. 😂
I literally do not remember her getting out. I remember her crawling up the bones and reaching, screaming, and it ending. Weird.
wasn't third a third ending too? or am i making that up
Google confirms 2 endings. The US & UK versions. Mandela effect??
I am glad you mentioned that! I must have watched the extras and forgotten because I kept saying, where is the birthday cake scene? hehe
Unnecessarily bleak
If you guys hate tight places... you really need to watch BURIED starring Ryan Reynolds. That movie will get some good reactions.
Seconded.
That movie was so boring tho
That's a really good one 👍
On the livestream the other day Shaun said that Buried was the movie that made him become interested in film making!!
Buried is great. An entire movie in a coffin. I feel they should do a similar film of Han Solo, during the time he spent trapped in Carbonite.
In all honesty and earnestness though, how in the world was it smart for Beth to walk up behind Juno and NOT speak FIRST?!?!
You’re assuming that she was thinking clearly & rationally & has not just been buried underground, in pitch blackness, fighting for her life against terrifying creatures who’d she recently witnessed physically devouring her best friends.
THANK you! Beth's blood was NOT on Juno's hands. I mean, it was. And also her face. And Sarah's face. Where was I? lol
Oh, yeah. Why would Beth sneak up on J when her friend was still in beast mode? That one's on her! And then throws Juno under the bus to Sarah because she's pissed she's about to be molepeople chow! Could've told Sarah ANYTIME about her philandering husband. Nope. Waits until now. I love getting irrationally-irritated by horror movie crap. Favorite pastime:) ha
Not only did she make an idiot choice, sneaking up on someone, after what just happened. She then makes it seem, as if Juno DELIBERATELY, stabbed her!
And what Sarah did to Juno was also a dick move.
shock? adrenaline? fear? trauma? i mean theres a lot.
Considering it could just as easily ended in the monsters getting her instead I would say that is not a fair question.
Calling out would likely have meant death for her to.
I'm honestly surprised nobody has talked at all about the theory that there were no creatures at all.
She has a mental breakdown that ends up having her kill everyone and dream up this idea of monsters to make her guilt about getting revenge for the cheating husband/friend and her degrading into an animal-like rage herself, easier to swallow. Instead, she feels it all.
Exactly. A lot seem to skip over that Sarah was having a breakdown and didn't take meds while on the trip. The title can also mean the descent into madness.
I’ve also like the idea that she’s in purgatory still haunted by regret.
There's a reason why there's a close up shot of Sarah's pill bottle. I love the idea that Sarah killed all her friends. The creatures didn't exist.
@@Sideout1000 provided at least one creature does/did exist, I think both can be true 🤷🏻♀️
This movie has a ton of alternate views and scenarios. It is fantastic!
The Descent is one of my fav horror movies. And during this movie I’m glad atleast 2 out of 6 was smart enough to fight back
@Sam Yes you have a point, but Sarah & Juno used survival instincts to fight back, it sucks they both didn’t make it out alive cuz I like them both
@Sam IKR
@Sam The ending in the 2nd one really pissed me off
To be honest I don't buy that only 2 of them would fight back.
Cave diving is not for the weak of heart - they would all be bad asses.
I would have found it more realistic if 1 or 2 overplayed their confidence but folded psychologically in the cave which led to them becoming easy prey.
I’m so glad u guys picked this and it’s sequel - what a great study in horror done right and then done wrong
So, so wrong. The final scene makes no sense with the beginning scene.
@@Russelshackleford The final scene of The Descent is fantastic - she loses in the end, descending into madness. I loved it.
The sequel was done right until the very end though. That ending was just... so bad.
@@GhoulishGwyn And unnecessary. Cherry on top.
@@GhoulishGwyn Continuing off the ending of the first movie was already bad enough. It's somehow a try-hard sequel that is very lazy at the same time. I know Sarah being the only character wouldn't work but there's no excuse for any of the others to be alive.
"I'm very claustrophobic..." Oh well you better buckle up 😂
I think I saw an ending totally different from everyone else. The one you saw looked like a combination of the English/American endings. However, the one I saw had the main character periodically, throughout the movie, remembering her child that she lost. Then in the end, she has a vision of celebrating the child's birthday, and then the camera pulls back to show that the main character never escaped the cave. To me that was the most poignant ending.
And the last shot shows us that, lost in her birthday party hallucination, she is about to kill the light of torch keeping the monsters at bay, right?
@@edisonlima4647 - I think that's right. I believe it was on a rental DVD that included all the possible endings.
This brings up a weird mini-annoyance about movies in the modern age. When you see multiple endings to a movie - and one is CLEARLY the best one - and then years later, you find out that the only currently available version of the movie doesn't have the best ending.
Agreed
I liked it much better.
Isn't this the end they saw? At 19:04 you can see (blurred) the camera moves to the birthday cake and the child.
Probably one of the most surprising movies of the 2000s. I went into it knowing nothing and it was brutal. It had its flaws, but is unforgettable.
Unlike its sequel
This movie is terrifying even without the crawlers. One of my faves.
I actually think the first half of the movie was infinitely more terrifying than once the crawlers showed up. I’ve never felt more claustrophobic in my life.
@@johnbriggsmusic completely agree, yea. it was far scarier without the monsters. maybe because it's not as real
I think one of the master strokes about this film is the scene where the girls are standing in a circle with the infra red camera and the camera pans around to see one of the creatures behind them. In the dvd bonus features you find out that none of the actors had even seen the creatures up to that point, and didn't know that was going to happen, so those screams from the actors are real.
The immediate reaction to the first jumpscare 9:58 had me laughing so hard omg 😂
"RUN!" lmaooo
LOl, shaun making Tom jump out of his skin, that made me die almost. i can't help think of the real life case of john jones who died by getting stuck upside down in the nutty putty caves when rewatching this movie .
I can’t imagine how horrifying it would be to get stuck in a cave, particularly in a tight spot & be stuck there, in pitch darkness, to die.
I laughed hard at that too. ROFL!!! Tom was very focused and Sean got him good! XD
The injuries and deaths are brutal in this movie. Very few films make me wince like this while watching. Damn good survival horror film. 8.5 review score.
Just got the notification and didn't start watching but I swear, If this isn't getting at least an 8,5.
Such a gem of a horror movie...
Oooooh. Youre gonna be surprised.
"As Above so Below" would be a great horror movie for your fear of closed spaces! Great reaction as always cheers!
One of the best found footage flicks. Especially since it’s based off of Dante’s Inferno
That was a very good movie.
I absolutely LOVE this movie. One of the best horror films of the 21st Century to date. An intense, bloody, claustrophobic masterpiece.
This whole movie is phenomenal! The Descent into madness you get from grief. Facing your inner demons. You sort of enter a kind of purgatory. One in which you can’t escape! Easily a 8.9 for me! Either you get the subtext and undertones or you don’t.
This!
This was one of the best horror films of the 2000s. Sheer terror and fantastic story.
The whole setup of this movie, even though it's minimal, does a GREAT job of letting us know about the key players and their relationships with each other. That is hard to do in such a small amount of time but the writing and acting is just so good. This is in my top 10 favorite horror films.... I just love it. (also, the ending with the flashlight/birthday cake is so heartbreaking too)
One of the most disturbing and darkest endings I've ever seen.
I actually prefer the American ending, even though it’s a cop-out. The American ending stops with Sarah escaping and seeing Juno in the car. Sarah escapes , but is haunted by the ghost of Juno.
Yeah, it's the better ending that actually carries and ties in the symbolism used throughout the film.
@@jimhaggard7436 that's nowhere near as disturbing as this ending. A girl haunted by a ghost is kind of cliché and average, to me that could be the ending of any movie.
@@NocturneSoul that’s why I liked it better, I guess. It was a cliche, but not as bleak as the original ending. I can handle twists and supernatural endings better than nihilistic ones.
@@jimhaggard7436 See, that's where I think the real horror lies in this movie, not all the awful stuff the group experiences, but the fact that even though Sarah lives, she doesn't survive.
I’m surprised you guys didn’t rate it higher. It’s honestly one of the best horror films to come out of the 2000s. I really enjoyed the dialogue and them meeting up at the cabin. This was one of the few films to terrify me when I first saw it.
The lack of characterisation at the start of the film might be deliberate ; all of the characters know each other, hence no need for lengthy exposition. Their interactions prior to the caving expedition establish them all , apart from Juno, as decent, friendly people who care about each other. Would the film really have benefited from greater character backstory ? IMHO, it wouldn't. I'd have given it a higher rating but it's all down to personal taste.
Though this was set in the Appalachian mountains, it was actually shot in Scotland. It's actually pretty good match overall. I lived in Asheville for 7 years, and it's very wet with low mountains and pine trees. By the way, the locals hate it when people pronounce it App-a-lay-chun. It's pronounced App-a-latch-un.
Something you both missed is that this movie is about lost, friendship, betrayal and mental health. The main character is still in a grieving state from the lost of her husband and child. Friendship because they're gathering to help heal her but sadly they can't survive it. Betrayal because her husband had an affair with her best friend and her best friend then goes on to betray others in the cave. The mental health is that the main character doesn't take her meds while on the trip.. she's slipping further into her own madness while trapped. There's different theories to this film including that everything is playing in her head as well as she's the killer. I think you gave a ridiculously low rating..especially since you based stuff on the first act.. in which you missed key elements.
Great points! I’ve never heard of the meds and her being the killer theory.
I agree with you. I love these two but they definitely did not catch a lot of the deeper meaning. 😓
Mo Mo
Thanks for sharing that. I didn't like this movie, thought it completely boring. Nothing more than a student project. I don't remember the film at all, so I can't even say if I noticed your points or not when I watched it.
I'm glad there's more to it than my impression, so thanks for writing that.
I must agree. This film has many layers to it.
@@SwampBrat19 to be fair I think this movie works best in theaters. I watched it with some other friends recently and they also totally missed the fact Juno had an affair with Sarah's husband. I think the sound editing when watching it when Beth kind of spills the beans is hard to hear/connect unless your volume is at the max and it can be difficult to pick up on the looks Juno and Sarah's husband give each other at the start of the movie and remember that moment after everything happens.
You guys said it’s ‘alright’. Your reactions said otherwise. And if you miss the affair from the beginning that takes a lot out of it.
The ending is depressing though because they all die and she had already been through so much even before she set foot in the cave.
I freely acknowledge that it's one of the better horror films I have seen, but I've never been tempted to watch it again after the first time because I truly hate those kind of endings.
Personally it's one of my favourite go to horrors. The claustrophobia is insane as is the prosthetics for the creatures and that ending is beautifully ambiguous! It's much better than a 6.5/10 in my opinion.
It's interesting but if you notice Sarah is a completely different person when she comes out of the blood pool. It's like she's reborn again but not from fire like a phoenix but from blood!
This concept was so original, the special effects, the location and the monsters were so good. The cast was awesome, they had great chemistry and the relationships were believable. And of course the claustrophobia it showed was so palpable. The second wasn't as good but it was ok.
The Descent is pretty hardcore. Really a great scary movie.
I watched this movie without knowing ANYTHING about it, which is the best way to do it. When THAT happened I almost fell from the couch.
The next day I showed the movie to my cousin and a friend without telling them anything about it (again, the right way to do it) and was in the kitchen when I heard them screaming. I imediatelly knew at what point they were.
I only experienced that reaction, that consistently, with "Gerald's Game".
Gerald’s Game was a movie????? When? Where? How did I miss it? That book was so good and had some TERRIFYING parts!
Glad you're watching some neil marshall, he has some class movies - plus he's a geordie, so gotta support your own ;) You guys neeeed to check out Dog Soldiers by him too :).
Love Dog Soldiers!
Just read, about an hour ago, that Neil Marshall is in the early planning stages of a Dog Soldiers sequel. In the article it said that it was supposed to be 3 films and a sequel was first announced in 2003 but by 2006 it was shelved because of disagreements. It looks like it will now become a reality.
Dog Soldiers is excellent. So many funny moments
11:40 The defeat in his voice is heartbreaking 🤣
I saw this movie on HBO a year after it's Release and it scared the hell out of me! It's quite the claustrophobic thriller where cave explorers find themselves hunted by someone or something that begins to pick them off.
Not sure if you guys caught it, since it wasn't highlighted in your video, but Juno had an affair with Sarah's husband. Hence the weird moment between them in the beginning and him being distant in the car. Also Sarah's daughter was killed in the accident too. Later, Sarah discovers I think a necklace, (been a while since i saw it) to realize that Juno killed their friend. So there was a lot of "reasons" for Sarah to lose it and kill Juno.
While this movie can be simplified into a survival horror film I think the narrative drama is more subtle but a strong undertone of the film. This film in many ways can be dissected into a movie about grief and the grieving process.
From the videos of their's I've seen so far, they don't seem to mention subtext or even outright plot points that are pivotal to the movie
The ending was so scary like just imagine that you thought you escaped and then realized it was just a dream
Took me two viewings to fall in love with this film, but now I consider it one of the best horror films of the 2000s.
So many great jumps scares! But the greatest one was when Shaun scared Tom at the beginning 🤣 I was waiting for him to do it again
Awesome movie! Looking forward to you guys watching the 2nd one
This movie makes me physically uneasy. The tight scenes of crawling are absolutely unnerving.
the cave in the movie was made out of multiple giant movie sets also the girls didn’t know what the crawlers look like until they showed up in the first scene they were in
Underrated horror masterpiece. We went to see it without really knowing what it was about, and I didn't expect the white, subterranean creatures. They probably exist in West Virginia.
HOW IS THIS UNDERRATED
People slowly cathing up
First off I love this movie and I'm excited to see how you guys like this one. Second, 7:16 when the smile dropped I don't know why that made me laugh so much xD
Just watched this movie with my nephew this past weekend, he loved it! Little dude been getting into the horror genre.
I saw in the theater in 2005, around the time of Hostel, which I also saw in the theater. That was a great time for horror films, especially The Hills Have Eyes remake and Hard Candy. I recommend the last two films I mentioned as reactions for your channel.
I always felt sad for Juno
She didn't deserve to die.
She caused a lot of her problems
With Shaun scaring Tom, this makes the reaction more entertaining. 😄 I actually watched this while wearing some of your merch as well as Tom. Very comfortable. 👍
This and High Tension are two perfect horror movies - right up until the end.
I love the French extremities movement, but High Tension is extremely overrated. Ugh I hate that darn movie.
Props to The Descent for not breaking all of its own internal logic in the last five minutes like High Tension did. Most twist endings make everything make sense and High Tension does the opposite.
Ugh, High Tension was PERFECT until that terrible ending. Like WTF! XP
Great reaction, guys! Glad you included the true director's cut ending. A bit disappointed you didn't appreciate it on the different levels it works on. While the film can be viewed in a straightforward way, I personally feel the best perception of the film is that The Descent is Sarah's. Her ptsd (that she's been treating with medication) triggered by the stress of them being trapped made her snap. Notice the sounds of the creatures you hear in the beginning sounds like children giggling. The progression of the 'daughter with a birthday cake' fantasy eventually evolves into the creature's formation. With her being the "creature", so to speak. One could surmise Sarah killed everyone. Everyone's fright and escape from the creatures were really their fear of Sarah after she snapped. It's the false narrator theory. While it's a stretch, it's plausible.
You should check out As above, so below. It's a nice little claustrophobic film.
It's one of the very few found footage movies I enjoyed and it is almost the ONLY found footage movies where It makes sense for the footage to still exist at all (I remember a found footage movies in which the world ended and I was just like: "Wait, so WHO would have ever found this 'found footage' if the camera explodes???"
this movie's a gem, couldn't disagree more with your scores lol
I would have strangled Juno at that point, admitting she got me in a situation like that knowing nothing about it.
Tom! 6.5?! This movie is fun and DIFFERENT from other horror films! But to each their own I suppose man. Another great reaction! LOVED your reactions through-out!
Oh. Also, watch FUNNY GAMES. The original or the remake.. They were made SHOT FOR SHOT, I'm serious.
The Descent was directed by Neil Marshall. "Dog Soldiers" is probably another film of his you might enjoy.
I had to study this AS Film Studies and I absolutely LOVED it. One of the most clever and fascinating horror films ever made.
His other cool film is Dog soldiers. You should definitely check it out. It's a real cult gem. Scary, gory and funny. Sausages.
Oh man, definitely.
I 2nd that!
Thirded
Plus the two giant battle episodes of Game of Thrones (Say what you will about the ending, both of them still kick all kinds of ass).
One of the best werewolf films!
My dad got the film on DVD and I had no idea there was an alternate ending!! Thankfully our DVD kept the original ending, and I prefer it so much over the US one (yeah, the ending is really bleak, but I love Neil Jordan's explanation for it; that even if we the audience think that it's not a happy ending, for Sarah, it is a happy ending because she's with her daughter and really that's all that matters)
P.s.: this movie is one of those whose sequels don't exist.
No, sir, the sequel to this movie doesn't exist at all!
I loved this movie. It was a great take on a b-movie creature feature, but I swear to god the scariest thing in the whole movie is when theyr're squeezing through that tiny passage; I couldn't breathe.
A wonderful horror flick that played on one of my few fears. As always: watch Event Horizon.
Just about to watch your video now but wanted to say beforehand that I saw this one mentioned in your live chat (last week?) and thought it'd be a great one for you to do. Love the film and for something I'd never heard of before my first viewing I was definitely impressed with it.
Even before we reach the 'horror' part of the film just the thought of being stuck in the conditions they were in was gripping.
True scary fact - “It’s the Dark. It play tricks on people.” 👀👀👀
Shaun: I am very claustrophobic... *explains how bad it is*
Me: Heyy!! Me too!!
Also me: litterally... hot air under the sheets is the WORST!
This is, in my opinion, the greatest modern horror film ever made and one of my favorite horror movies! Also, the reason Sarah betrays Juno towards the end is because Juno had an affair with Sarah’s husband before he died.
And she found her dying friend with Juno’s necklace, meaning she knew Juno killed her.
One of my all-time favorite horror films. The opening is so effed up and so devastating.
One of my favorite movies ever, and Juno is like the best antihero ever. Great review guys!!
Regarding the dialogue at the beginning, I read the similarity as showing how long these people have been close friends. It's natural for people to adopt sayings, references, and mannerisms over time. But hey, I could be wrong and it could just be mediocre writing. :)
I believe the original ending was cut in the US-version! There, the movie ended with her escaping in the car - therefore the sequel. But considering the original ending - no, a sequel would be impossible.
Omfg I jumped like hell when that fucking thing was behind the girl in the camera
Yes! Just the setting and the circumstance of being trapped in the cave is bad enough. Then you add the cave's inhabitants into the mix. So good!
Highly recommend The Ruins, Frozen, P2, Turistas and A Perfect Getaway
My friend Jon and I saw this the summer it came out and we knew nothing about it. We literally would see every movie that came out without watching previews because Jon worked at the theater. This movie was sooooooooooooo freaky!!!! Love it!
This film makes me feel sick due to the surroundings. Forget the monsters getting trapped in there would be my worst nightmare.
Due to the unexpected outcome of this film when I first watched it, I came out really loving it. The cinematography, the look, the acting and the look of those crawlers. It was enough to have the cave be so mysterious, claustrophobic and dark yet adding in those Crawlers (although some prefer just the cave setting) makes the film change a lot and when a film can accomplish a shift in tone for the audience I can really appreciate it, giving familiar faces an unfamiliar setting for chaos, horror and drama to unfold. Love it. It fooled me for sure.
10:01 - I'm in tears
The American version has an alternate ending when she actually survives and that’s where it ties into the sequel just wanted to let you guys know
In my honest opinion that makes the story better
The unnecessarily bleak ending kinda ruins her arc
@@turma8eac What's her arc, though? The movie is called the descent, it refers to both the physical descent and Sarah's own descent into depression and grief. That's why (imo) the hospital hallway envelops her in darkness like the cave later on, after realizing what's happened to her family.
If she gets out and is haunted by betraying Juno, who had already betrayed Sarah in the first place, I'm very confused as to how that completes her character arc.
@@jadeandjesse5908 Sarah was already depressed and grieving. The course of the film chronicles her descent into barbarity and madness.
@@turma8eac Eh, to each their own. I like bleak, personally.
Yep. The sequel only works with the American ending because that version cuts off right when Sarah sees Juno's ghost, hinting she lives but is forever haunted. Sequel continues after Sarah gets to the hospital. Personally, I prefer the UK ending.
Neat tidbit, none of the actresses saw what the monsters looked like till shoot day so there reactions are all genuine
Fun fact: The women didn’t know what the monsters were going to look like. The first time they saw them, their screams were genuine. Also, you should watch the alternate ending. If I remember correctly, it was better than the one in the movie. I love your reactions!
I love that fact! Apparently, they were so freaked out, they ran off the set but came back in plenty of time to preserve their reactions.
What a good film ! One of my all time favourite horror films... Really enjoying your content guys ! Love from France
FUCK YES FINALLY. Ugh this movie is so underrated and the atmosphere it builds is unreal. The claustrophobia and the reveal of the crawlers is just perfect. Also Sarah is a great character
Lolz... watching you guys stressed out was great. I saw this with my horror movie bud and we were emotionally exhausted afterwards. Great stressful movie. I think you let the stress and feelings get in the way of how you looked at it. The dialog wasn't amazing but not bad. To me, being able to make you feel that way was a positive for the film, and it means that you did connect with the characters.
really enjoy this movie, but part 2 i prefer to forget it even exists. i imagine this is a stand alone movie.
Yep.
This movie has no sequel at all. No, sir.
I am SO excited that y’all are reacting to this movie. It is my all time favorite horror movie, and it does not have the hype it deserves.
John Gulager's Feast Trilogy is an absolute must chaps. Horror comedy at it's very best and most batsh*t crazy!
I’m a newer sub so I don’t know your names yet. But the way the guy in the white shirt screams is cracking me up. I don’t know why it’s so funny to me. I’m trying to laugh quietly to myself so I don’t wake anyone but that isn’t working out. I love how instead of screaming “ahhhh!!” like anyone else normally does, you scream “RUN!!” even if it doesn’t fit the circumstances. Hilarious!
Great movie, great reaction. Good luck with your channel
The US version ends in the car. That UK ending where she is still in the cave is definitely better.
I live close to the Appalachian area, I’m in western Kentucky...I went to Ruby Falls a while back and went to an underground cave 420 feet (sorry I don’t know the meters 🇺🇸) it reminded me of this movie while I was down there ☠️
I hope Shaun doesn't plan to do those jump-scares to any future GFs while watching a movie because they will end him right quick lol.
Edit: I saw this in the cinema twice. Absolutely amazing film in a dark theatre.
My cousin and I do that to each other all the time. You have to be able to screw with your besties! hehehe You also have to expect to be punched in the bleep for it too.
I'm claustrophobic too, and watching this on a massive Odeon screen was terrifying, even before the thingies appear 😱
They didn't have to add monsters in the movie, just the claustrophobia of the tight spaces inside the caves and psychologic stress it puts on the mind when there is no way out and then they could have put in drama where the mc finds out about her friends affair with her husband .
The message of this story is that you don't go to any place in nature that isn't explored if you are a amateur ,even with an expert, because even experts die when faced with angry nature.
I agree with 7/10 rating, great set design and creatures ,bad dialogue and last action scenes felt little like a super hero movie where the mc kicks everyone 's ass and is unbeatable.
YYAAAAASSSS! One of my favorite horror films! (UK version for the ending very much preferred)
I'm actually shocked by the low rating. The Descent for me is up there with the best of the new age horror right besides Martyrs, Frontiers, Inside and High Tension. I guess we have different criteria as i value atmosphere and the ability to make me genuinely afraid (which is pretty hard at this point) a lot more than dialogue. A horror movie that doesn't leave me empty like my own humanity has been violated is a disappointment.
App-a-LATCH-an. North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia. One of the cars in the movie has NC plates.
The first movie is amazing, the sequel is honestly not worth the watch.