Honestly, I initially only wanted to watch this movie because Naomi Watts is one of my favorite actresses. Once I read the fairly zane, B-movie plot description, I was sold. And honestly, I pretty much got what I expected from Down.
Essentially, this is a movie about an elevator killing people. The horrific and entertaining methods by which the victims die are what keeps Down from getting bogged down in the inevitable investigation the main characters (Naomi Watts as a scrappy reporter and James Marshall as an elevator mechanic) make into what's going on and how to stop it. The plot is nothing to get excited about, and mainly serves as filler between the creative and gory elevator deaths. There's a goofy sci-fi turn at the end that makes the movie even more campy than it already is, and to keep the late 90's/early 00's vibe going at peak efficiency, the audience is eventually treated to a bazooka explosion.
Down is occasionally dull and probably a little longer than it needs to be, but overall I thought it was fine for what it was. Mindless, campy movies can be fine at times, and while Down isn't the best of them, it certainly is not the worst, either.
Essentially, this is a movie about an elevator killing people. The horrific and entertaining methods by which the victims die are what keeps Down from getting bogged down in the inevitable investigation the main characters (Naomi Watts as a scrappy reporter and James Marshall as an elevator mechanic) make into what's going on and how to stop it. The plot is nothing to get excited about, and mainly serves as filler between the creative and gory elevator deaths. There's a goofy sci-fi turn at the end that makes the movie even more campy than it already is, and to keep the late 90's/early 00's vibe going at peak efficiency, the audience is eventually treated to a bazooka explosion.
Down is occasionally dull and probably a little longer than it needs to be, but overall I thought it was fine for what it was. Mindless, campy movies can be fine at times, and while Down isn't the best of them, it certainly is not the worst, either.