European Films

The last film to be shown here at the Venice Film Festival, and Out of Competition at that, is the British horror film The Descent, a very well made "gory story" that will inspire boys and girls who like the horror genre (and even some who care little for standard horror fare), even though it could be read as a tale about the battle between the sexes. Directed by Neill Marshall (Dog Soldiers), The Descent delves into the story of a group of British friends, all women, who decide that some team building and renewed bonding is in order after a horrific accident involving one of them. They have opted for some cave-exploration in the United States, where they hope the alternation of physical activities by day and filled wineglasses by the fireplace by night will help them get into the pattern of the pre-accident days.

On their first day of cave exploration, they get lucky straight away: they get trapped inside one of the caves after a minor earthquake closes off the entrance through which they came. While they look for another exit (they have not brought a map...) the girls become aware of the fact that there are sinister creatures out there lurking in the dark, creatures that have an appetite for human flesh. With one exception, all the creatures are male, so a parallel between the male-female opposition in the normal world and the two opposed forces down there in the caves is quickly drawn.

Full of scary moments (and some red herrings that the genre seems to require however well-made the film is), The Descent surpasses most horror fare because of its excellent lead performances by Natalie Mendoza (one of the Moulin Rouge dancers) and Shauna Macdonald, and the excellent technical credits including cinematography, production design and score.

The Descent is one of the few horror films that actually delivers what it promises without insulting the audience's intelligence. It is an excellent scare fest that may well please people well beyond the hardcore horror fans.

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