[DVD Video Review] The Descent: Part 2

[Guest 10924]

Comments attached to the DVD Video Review 'The Descent: Part 2' on Movies @ The Digital Fix



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[Guest 68981]

I *hated* the ending

as it's horribly mean-spirited, makes much of what has gone before pointless, and ***** over the surprisingly well played moment of catharsis and atonement between Sarah and Juno. The self-sacrifice moment was earned and should have been how the film ended. The whack in the face with a spade ending seems included only to give one final shock, and cheapens what has gone before

but otherwise thought this was a cracking sequel, and quite beautifully filmed.

[Guest 70708]

Thanks Daniel, I agree entirely. I was really disappointed with the finale -

completely pointless, and at odds with the rest of the film. I'm not sure if it was perhaps an effort to match the "twist" ending at the close of the original?

I too enjoyed the filming, and the scenery is beautifully captured. Have you seen the "making of" piece yet? It's interesting to see how some of the scenes were created - especially the "rolling wall" for the lift shaft.

[Guest 65633]

Good to see other people enjoyed this :)

It turned out much better than I thought it would.

[Guest 70708]

Thanks Rick, yes, I'm a big fan of the original, and am fairly cycnical about sequels, so was pleasantly surprised.

I think the risk of using pretty much the identical formula as the first movie paid off.

[saltysam]

Is the dvd cropped? the review says 1:78:1 aspect ratio but unless my old age is making me confused i'm sure the blu-ray i recently watched was 2:35:1?

[Guest 70708]

My apologies, you are absolutely right. Rest assured it's not your old age!

However, my old age might have something to answer for. I didn't crop away the black bars when measuring the ratio, hence the 1.78 judgement.

Thanks for pointing it out - I'll update the review.

M.

[DaveF]

Finally caught up with this after being tempted back to it by your review and I must admit, it's a far better film than I expected albeit one that is weaker than the original in every aspect. The whole setup is pretty ludicrous and then you have small details which niggle (the inexperienced police joining the climbers, dragging a traumatised woman back down there, moaning she's sedated and then questioning her seconds later!) and as you say some of the acting is pretty unconvincing. The plotting is fairly second rate and predictable, as are the new characters, but the excellent photography, Shauna Macdonald and some neat set pieces keep it a cut above most horror sequels. The part where the newbies have to swing across the chasm was particularly good.

Still, the only jump was at the beginning when Sarah first appears. That really got me! And that brings me on to the ending...

Oh dear. Aside from the fact it's just rubbish, it also makes no bloody sense whatsoever. The old man is presumably trying to keep the monsters' existence a secret - the brief aside about his grandfather being lost in the mines makes me wonder if his team are what the monsters evolved from?? - but if that's the case why did he even bring Sarah's survival to anyone's attention in the first place as it was him who found her (in the middle of nowhere) at the start!!

[Guest 70708]

Thanks Dave, I'm yet to speak to anyone who has seen the movie who hasn't been annoyed by the ending.

I don't know if it was simply there to present some shock value - i.e. after the drawn out trauma underground, and the euphoria of escape, the blow to the head and dragging to the pit entrance (supposedly) delivers a depressing sense of futility in stark contrast...my best bet is though that there was some sort of agreement to produce a finale that would pave the way for a 3rd instalment, to tie up some more loose ends, albeit loose ends that have been lightly tacked onto the end of the movie...

My opinion is that they've acquited themselves well with a sequel, but a 3rd part would be completely unacceptable.