The Descent: Part 2 (2009)

The Descent: Part 2 (2009)

Directed by: Jon Harris
Screenplay by: J. Blakeson, James McCarthy, and James Watkins

Genre: Adventure | Horror | Thriller
Running Time: 94 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

Fear runs deep. Revenge runs deeper.

[IMDb]

Comments: I never expected The Descent: Part 2 to be as good as the original; it was a film that never needed a sequel in the first place. The Descent is one of my favorite horror films - and unquestionably one of the best of the decade. I really wasn't expecting much out of the sequel, but it did get some decent reviews so I decided that I needed to pick it up on its release date. Despite the fact that at times it desperately tries to be exactly like the original, there are a few parts that help the film stand out. I can see certain scenes toward the end of The Descent: Part 2 ruining the emotional impact of the first film, but I was able to overlook this for the most part. There were only two parts that really annoyed me: the beginning and the end (the end will be discussed below). In the beginning, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) has just made it out of the cave, and is looking worse for wear. The cop on duty, however, decides that they need to take her back down to the caves to find the others just a few hours after she escaped. This is completely ridiculous. Also, Sarah is in such a state of shock that she can't remember what happened. How convenient. While I wouldn't recommend going out and buying the film right now, it is worth a watch and an addition to your collection down the line when the price is cheaper.

Note: The following paragraph contains a very slight spoiler for the film as well as a spoiler for the end of the 2009 remake of The Last House on the Left.

Everything I wrote in the opening paragraph is what I had been thinking to write once The Descent: Part 2 ended. Then, director Jon Harris decided to throw in the dreaded second ending, which almost ruined the film for me. Part 2 had reached its natural conclusion, and then an extra and completely fucking unnecessary 30 seconds was thrown in to "shock" the viewer. It's fucking stupid and it pisses me off. It reminds me of the remake of The Last House on the Left. That film as well had reached its natural conclusion, where the father (doing what any normal father would do) defended his family. Then, for some unknown reason, a quick segment added to the end showed the father MICROWAVING the main baddie's head until it exploded. In a generally serious and realistic film, it was awful and ruined the overall effect of the film. This is what happens in The Descent: Part 2. It sucks.