The Descent

Theater date: 2005-07-08

Blu-ray release date: 2006-12-26

Rated: N/A

6.98 (IMDB)

Genre: AdventureHorror

Language: en

Status: Released

Length: 1h 40min

Languages:

English

Description:

After a personal tragedy, Sarah joins her friends on a caving expedition in the Appalachian Mountains. But when a rockfall traps them deep underground, their adventure turns into a nightmare. As they search for a way out, the group discovers they are not alone—lurking in the darkness are savage, cave-dwelling creatures. With rising tension and dwindling trust, the women must fight to survive against both the predators and each other.

Top Cast >

Shauna Macdonald

As Sarah Carter

Natalie Mendoza

As Juno Kaplan

Alex Reid

As Beth O'Brien

MyAnna Buring

As Sam Vernet

Saskia Mulder

As Rebecca Vernet

Nora-Jane Noone

As Holly

Leslie Simpson

As Crawler

Oliver Milburn

As Paul Carter

Molly Kayll

As Jessica Carter

Craig Conway

As Crawler - Scar

Tristan Matthiae

As Crawler

Mark Cronfield

As Crawler

Stephen Lamb

As Crawler

Catherine Dyson

As Crawler

Julie Ellis

As Crawler

Sophie Trott

As Crawler

Stuart Luis

As Crawler

Justin Hackney

As Crawler

Top Crew >

Neil Marshall

Director, Writer

Gail Stevens

Casting

Nancy Thompson

Costume Design

David Julyan

Original Music Composer

Christian Colson

Producer

Jon Harris

Editor

William Davies

Casting

Sam McCurdy

Director of Photography

Maxine Whittaker

Stunt Double

Steve Griffin

Stunt Coordinator

Claire Alderton

Stunts

Siobhan Coughlan

Stunt Double

Kim McGarrity

Stunt Double

Jack Ravenscroft

First Assistant Director

Matt Carver

Second Assistant Director

Jeanette Haley

Post Production Supervisor

Debbie Moore

Production Accountant

Sergio Bernuzzi

Key Grip

Rachel James

Post Production Accountant

Jennifer Harty

Makeup Supervisor

Nick Thermes

Sound Mixer

Simon Bowles

Production Design

Vickie Lang

Makeup Artist, Makeup Supervisor

Lucy Moles

Construction Coordinator

Jennifer Wynne

Production Manager

Jason Knox-Johnston

Art Direction

Jo Hannford

Hairstylist

Howard Watkins

Visual Effects Supervisor

Matthew Collinge

Supervising Sound Editor

Nigel Heath

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Helen Ingham

Costume Supervisor

Michael Maroussas

Sound Effects Editor

Elizabeth West

Script Supervisor

Danny Sheehan

Supervising Sound Editor

Andrew Glen

Music Editor

Jim Dowdall

Stunt Coordinator

Emily Rogers Swanson

Music Editor

Yvette Dore

Unit Publicist

Leigh Took

Visual Effects Supervisor

Jon Marson

Greensman

Alex Bailey

Still Photographer

Amelia Troubridge

Still Photographer

John Taylor

Steadicam Operator

Matt Curtis

Title Designer

Ivana MacKinnon

Associate Producer

Paul Bradburn

Dressing Prop

Paul Smith

Executive Producer

Jacques Plante

ADR Supervisor

Clare Mahoney

Foley Artist

Terry Woods

Property Master

Rodrigo Gutierrez

Second Unit Director of Photography

George Cottle

Stunt Double, Stunt Driver

Michael Byrch

Stunt Double

Paul Mason

Third Assistant Director

Hannah Godwin

Production Coordinator

David McKay

Aerial Camera

Jon Garwes

Focus Puller

Phil Humphries

Clapper Loader

Matthew Waving

Camera Trainee

Ang Richards

Camera Trainee

Rob Prynne

ADR Editor

Paul Carter

Foley Editor

Jason Swanscott

Foley Artist

John Fewell

Foley Artist

Julie Ankerson

Foley Artist

Oliver Brierley

Sound Re-Recording Assistant

John Rafique

Special Effects Supervisor

Andrew Robertson

Video Assist Operator

Natalie Moore

Assistant Accountant

Eddie Standish

Location Manager

Derek Yeaman

Location Manager

Donald McDonald

Location Assistant

Mike Baldock

Unit Manager

Luke Jackson

Unit Manager

David Taylor

Unit Manager

Kate Laver

Costume Assistant

Dean Clegg

Standby Art Director

Harry Pain

Art Department Assistant

Michael Kelm

Modeling

Jim Cornish

Storyboard Artist

Stuart Conran

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Conal Palmer

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Robin Pritchard

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Jacqueline Fowler

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Neil Morrill

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Stuart Sewell

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Samia Wood

Prosthetics

Simon Webber

Sculptor

Stuart Wishart

Animatronics Designer

Zoe Smith

Property Buyer

Billy Edwards

Standby Property Master

Alfie Burgess

Standby Property Master

Terry Stinson

Dressing Prop

Jono Moles

Construction Manager

Henry Jones

Construction Manager

Graham Baker

Rigging Gaffer

Andrew Taylor

Gaffer

Tim Driscoll

Best Boy Electric

Steve Slocombe

Best Boy Electric

Ross Grainger

Generator Operator

Gareth Williams

Electrician

Bob Milton

Electrician

Dan Winch

Second Unit First Assistant Director

John Heald

Grip

Tony Fabian

Grip

Alice Hobden

Clapper Loader

Kate Filby

Clapper Loader

Ralph Ramsden

Focus Puller

Ashley Bond

Focus Puller

Joanna Crow

First Assistant Director

Ray De-Haan

Stunt Double

Rob Hunt

Stunt Double

Lee Sheward

Stunt Double

Daz Parker

Stunt Double

David Wheal

Casting Assistant

Jason Wheeler

Negative Cutter

Catriona Delbridge

First Assistant Editor

Chris Lyons

Special Effects Makeup Artist

Brian Hall

Technical Advisor

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (7/10)

A group of six friends are heading off on one of those subterranean caving expeditions that just make me crave wide open spaces. The thing is, though, that one of their number takes them to somewhere hitherto unexplored - without telling them - and so once they start to squeeze their bodies and their kit into these unforgiving spaces, they have no idea where they are going nor what to expect. Not long into their expedition, they encounter some cave paintings and signs that perhaps someone had been there before after all, but instead of turning tail and getting back to the surface they press on to encounter something(s) altogether unexpected, gruesome and hungry. Now maybe one day, someone will make a group disaster thriller that presents us with characters about whom we might actually care, but this is certainly not one of them. The group have their standard mix of baggage, dysfunctional relationships, grudges and mistrust but given little effort is made to develop their characterisations we can just sit back and watch some eerily crafted photography, seriously effective acoustics and some inspired use of light and darkness that expose the vulnerabilities of human beings when not aground, up on two legs, with all five senses working in our favour rather than contributing to an increasing degree of panic amidst this more and more hysterical band of women. I wouldn’t say that any of the actors really stand out here, it could be anyone donning the high-vis jackets and carrying a rope. Indeed the personalities here are largely irrelevant to a truly claustrophobically effective story of what lurks beneath and how unwelcoming it can be to those who stray. Will any of them make it back to the daylight? Well, I hope not!

2025-11-07