Descent [2005] [US Import] [2006] [Blu-ray] [Region A]

Amazing film and amazing edition with lots of extra features and a clear image quality , even in the dark scenes inside the cave. This US edition is the best by far of the Blu-ray editions. Totally recommended, a must-see film!

Lionsgate Region "1" (sic) blu ray unrated version: I decided to buy this film on the strength of some impressive reviews and was looking forward to an evening's horrific entertainment.THE DISC: The picture and sound quality are fully up to expectation in this well mastered BD presentation. There are a decent number of extras too. The torch shining on the menus was a nice touch.THE FILM: There was one genuine shock moment which made me jump which was satisfying for a seasoned horror buff. Without giving anything away, this was at the first glimpse of one of the 'monsters'. The scene was cleverly executed; I noticed him in shot but it took several seconds before it became apparent what it was, then the shock set in! However, from then on, the shocks stopped as the film descended (pun not intended) into fairly mindless violence and gore, not necessarily for self defence but more to make a point a point that females are capable of aggressive acts and swearing. Or at least that is how the film came across. The gore sequences looked realistic and will have some viewers squirming in their seats. A scene where one of the girls rammed a discarded skull (complete with horn or tusk) into one of the monster's heads stretched credibility too far for obvious reasons - another example of political correctness? Again, this is just personal opinion, and other opinions will no doubt exist.Technically, some of the fight sequences between the girls and the monster/s appeared to have been speeded up (or the digital equivalent) which was irritating and spoiled the action as it was not clear to see what was happening, and probably allowed the actors/actresses to get away with more than in 'real time' speed. Another misjudgement by the Director, in my humble opinion, was the showing of the monster too soon (or rather not late enough). Suspense is the bedrock of good horror. Compare this film with the masterfully directed original Hammer film 'The Abominable Snowman' where less actually happens and yet the yeti is not shown until late in the film but then sparingly, the Director having kept the viewer guessing and in mounting suspense.But the greatest criticism with this film is the 'in-your-face' feminism that was acted out. The all-girl cast swearing and profaning at every opportunity, and their macho posturing present in just about every scene was just OTT. I have nothing against swearing, but the Director failed to demonstrate that he understands that less is more - a few strong obscenities in the right situation creates stronger dramatic impact than mere gratuitous expletives, the regularity of which simply dilutes their power and numbs the viewer to them. Maybe this was a brave attempt at encouraging new stereotypes, if indeed stereotyping actually exists other than in the minds of those who would seek to manipulate society or its values. Whatever the reason, it felt false, laughably so in places, which distracted from the credibility of a horror picture. There is nothing wrong with females behaving like females one might think. However, others may have different views.This critique is based on the film as a whole. Where a production technique, a less than transparent script, a political (with a small 'p') or social engineering message etc obfuscates the plot and entertainment value of a film to such an extent, then it has failed. This is not meant to suggest that the film contains every one of these deficiencies.