The Descent 2 (2009)
Directed by: Jon Harris
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Gavan O’Herlihy, Krysten Cummings, Natalie Jackson Mendoza
Reviewed by: ZC Barry

With Neil Marshall’s original 2005 film The Descent receiving universal critical acclaim and still showing strong DVD sales in America, it was almost inevitable that Hollywood would create a sequel. Many people didn’t think The Descent needed a sequel, and with Marshall not returning to direct The Descent: Part 2 it seemed he was in agreement. That said, he did retain some input into this new movie and, much like how the film which follows up where we left Sarah, Jon Harris picks up almost exactly where Marshall left off.

Whether you saw the UK or the US cut of The Descent, Sarah (Shauna MacDonald) was the only clear survivor of the first movie. In The Descent 2 we find ourselves almost immediately back with her after she has escaped the caves (whether in her car or after she awakens still in the cave). Part 2 takes away some of the debate of the UK cut of the movie, where it was unclear if Sarah had in fact imagined the Crawlers in the cave and had, in fact, killed her friends herself. In the sequel the creatures are very much real and still as deadly.

Using one of the laziest plot devices (and second only to characters being conveniently knocked out just as a secret is revealed), Sarah has conveniently blocked out everything that happened to her in the cave and is unable to give satisfactory answers to the questions from the police about why she is covered in her friends’ blood. With mounting pressure from the media to find the girls after a recent unsuccessful rescue, Sherriff Vaines (Gavan O’Herlihy) forces Sarah back into hell to find out what happened to her expedition.

Delving back down through an abandoned mineshaft, it’s not long before Sarah’s memory returns and, as she tries to flee, Vaines causes an accident, trapping the rescue party beneath the earth. As they go deeper into the uncharted system, it’s not long before they find out what happened to the original party of girls and the Crawlers return, meaner and more brutal than before.

With hope of rescue gone the party have to travel right into the middle of the Crawlers’ home in a bid to find their way back above ground. On the way they encounter impossible obstacles and challenges as Sarah’s past catches up with her and she attempts to find redemption.

The Descent: Part 2 closed the 2009 London Frightfest with director Jon Harris, Shauna MacDonald and the rest of the cast attending the world premiere. Before the screening MacDonald asked the crowd to give debut director Harris a chance because he was “as good as Neil and just might be better.” After watching the full film, I can echo MacDonald’s sentiments and say that, needed or not, The Descent 2 should give fans exactly what they want.

The creatures in this second movie are slightly more creepy as they blend in realistically with the background (an effect the director worked hard to achieve). They’re also much more visceral in their killing, going straight for the jugular and often hunting in packs. The cramped and claustrophobic atmosphere of the original is kept by Harris as shots are often framed just short of showing the full body or face of a person, or captures just a narrow section of cave or tunnel.

While none of the characters are fully fleshed out (Vaines is an asshole Sherriff, Rios [Krysten Cummings] is the devoted mother, and Greg [Joshua Dallas] and Cath [Anna Skellern] provide the sexual tension), the characters themselves are simply a way to put the viewer back in the cave and show exactly what there is to be afraid of in the dark.

Scares come in the usual jump into focus and loud noise variety, but Harris does defy expectations often enough that you’re never sure where your eyes should be locked. The screen turns red as throats are ripped and bodies are clawed, and also as the rescue party are forced to make brutal decisions on whether to risk themselves or allow others to die, echoing Sarah’s choice at the end of the first.

The movie is tight and well directed: MacDonald was right to ask us to give Harris a shot, and with such an accomplished first movie (thanks to years of editing on films like Eden Lake and The Descent) it seems certain that future films from him could be ones to watch out for. The only real problem is that it feels like an extended middle section of the first movie, but for fans and those looking for some good scares that isn’t really an issue.

The shock ending paves the way for a third Descent movie, but opens it up in a way that could certainly bring more than just a group of people trapped underground again, as that really wouldn’t hold up for a third time. It seems that Celador and audiences are not yet done with The Descent.

ZC Barry writes for Zombie Command; a UK based zombie website featuring zombie news, reviews and interviews.

Brutal as Hell Rating:
4 out of 5