EP 218 The Descent

It’s time to get deep, as we are joined by previous guest Dani, for Neil Marshall’s “The Descent”. A film in which we learn how to give a lemon an orgasm; that spelunking is not an orthodox method of grief counselling; and that there’s always one fucker who won’t stay with the group, even if you tell them to! Marshall’s superb follow up to his debut “Dog Soldiers”, whilst often mentioned by fans and in lists of lesser-known films to see, really deserves to take its place as an acknowledged classic of the genre. The building claustrophobic dread, vicious injuries and the gradual disintegration of the team’s relationship make for a stunning first half, with the emergence of the monsters almost a relief from these all too real horrors. The cast are simply outstanding; and this still, remarkably, remains an outlier as an almost exclusively female-led horror film, 20 years later. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.