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The Descent: Part 2 (DVD) – Did the movie need a subpar sequel?

11th May 2010 By Tim Isaac

If you caught The Descent back in 2005, it’s unlikely you forgot it in a hurry. Harking back to the survival horrors of yesteryear, Neil Marshall’s brutal shocker saw an all female cast pitted against a new breed of nightmarish monsters – the memorable crawlers. It was bold, brilliant and considering the successes the film enjoyed both critically and at the box office; it was ripe for a sequel.

The Descent Part 2 picks up immediately after the events of the first film, although bizarrely discounts both the UK and US endings. Sarah (Macdonald) has escaped the hellish caves and their dreadful inhabitants, and is soon laid out in a nearby hospital, drenched in the blood of her ill fated pals. Local plods and a growing media circus are soon hounding the traumatised survivor for the whereabouts of her missing companions, but a convenient case of amnesia renders her speechless.

Undeterred by Sarah’s memory lapse, unsympathetic Sheriff Vaines (O’Herlihy) plans another descent into the terrifying catacombs, dragging mousy Deputy Rios (Cummings) and a trio of inept search and rescue experts along in a futile hunt for the missing women. The fact he’s relying on an amnesiac to guide the group through the treacherous labyrinth doesn’t bode well for the rescue effort, and it’s not long before blood is spilt and jugulars are torn.

At first glance, this sequel boasts some reassuring credentials. Neil Marshall may have shirked his directorial duties, but passes the baton onto Jon Harris; who proved his worth as editor on the first film. Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza both return to headline the cast and most of the original crew are back on board. So far so good, but the cracks in these promising foundations appear in the most important of places; the script. 

With Marshall also relinquishing his screenwriting duties, the task falls to no less than three newcomers. A sequel to The Descent was always going to be tricky; the closing scenes played out with a grim finality, effectively walling off a direct continuation. The new scribes are quick to overcome this obstacle however, with an awkward manoeuvre that makes for a clunky first act. Generally speaking, the film fails to excite. Few of the characters are bearable, let alone likeable and the well drawn roles of the first film are scaled back to sketchy archetypes.

Returning the action to the caves might have seemed a safe bet, but it means old ground is recovered. The tense build up and claustrophobia of the first film loses its effectiveness this time round because we know exactly what we’re potholing into. When the crawlers finally show up to deal some damage, we’re entertained, but it’s a cheap and nasty thrill that only reminds us of where this subpar sequel is lacking. 

Overall Verdict: An unnecessary second beat to the original story; The Descent Part 2 spends too much time caught up in what’s gone before to establish itself as its own movie. Fans of the first film will be disappointed, but for brainless, blood splattered entertainment; you could do worse.

Special Features:
Commentary
Making of
Deleted scenes with optional commentary
Storyboard Galleries
Production Design Gallery
Trailer

Reviewer: David Steele

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