THE DESCENT is the type of film that really didn't need a sequel. But with it's relative popularity-I wasn't the least bit surprised when one was announced. I really didn't know what to expect with THE DESCENT 2, and was honestly expecting the worst-but I'll admit that I was pleasantly surprised by this entertaining if not ground-breaking sequel.
The film begins right after the first film ends. Sarah escapes the cave, is discovered by an old man on the road, and the taken to the hospital. Of course the local sheriff wants answers as to why she's the only one to return from the group of cavers, and what happened to the others. The sheriff puts together a small team to investigate the caves with an amnesiac Sarah in tow. The rest of the film plays out much like the first with very little difference in style or approach...
If you enjoyed the first one and don't mind a heavy dose of 're-tread'-then it's surprising to me if you don't like this one. There really isn't much to be brought in terms of originality to a storyline like this (unless you start getting into really retarded territory-like as one reviewer stated, 'flying crawlers' or some sh!t like that...)-so if they're going to force a sequel on the populace-then it may as well try to be as entertaining as the first, if not wholly original. And i believe this film succeeded. The action is still pretty hot and heavy, it's just as, if not more gory than the first, there's a few good jump-scares, and although not quite as claustrophobic as the first-still some of that as well. The acting, cinematography, gore FX, and score/sound-design are all up to par and in some cases quite good-so I don't have much to bitch about. There are some inconsistencies, like: if these creatures are supposed to hear/smell so well, why can't they sense someone that's RIGHT in front of them?!?!-but for a film like this I prefer to just turn my brain of and go along for the ride. Again-very derivative of the first (the only real reason I'm rating it a point lower than the original...), but I feel it could have been a WHOLE lot worse. An interesting twist or two, and an obvious set-up for a third film round out what I consider to be a solid pop-corn horror film and a better-than- average sequel. 8/10
The film begins right after the first film ends. Sarah escapes the cave, is discovered by an old man on the road, and the taken to the hospital. Of course the local sheriff wants answers as to why she's the only one to return from the group of cavers, and what happened to the others. The sheriff puts together a small team to investigate the caves with an amnesiac Sarah in tow. The rest of the film plays out much like the first with very little difference in style or approach...
If you enjoyed the first one and don't mind a heavy dose of 're-tread'-then it's surprising to me if you don't like this one. There really isn't much to be brought in terms of originality to a storyline like this (unless you start getting into really retarded territory-like as one reviewer stated, 'flying crawlers' or some sh!t like that...)-so if they're going to force a sequel on the populace-then it may as well try to be as entertaining as the first, if not wholly original. And i believe this film succeeded. The action is still pretty hot and heavy, it's just as, if not more gory than the first, there's a few good jump-scares, and although not quite as claustrophobic as the first-still some of that as well. The acting, cinematography, gore FX, and score/sound-design are all up to par and in some cases quite good-so I don't have much to bitch about. There are some inconsistencies, like: if these creatures are supposed to hear/smell so well, why can't they sense someone that's RIGHT in front of them?!?!-but for a film like this I prefer to just turn my brain of and go along for the ride. Again-very derivative of the first (the only real reason I'm rating it a point lower than the original...), but I feel it could have been a WHOLE lot worse. An interesting twist or two, and an obvious set-up for a third film round out what I consider to be a solid pop-corn horror film and a better-than- average sequel. 8/10