The Descent

If "The Descent" is any indication, the British seem to have a better idea of what makes a scary movie truly scary than their U.S. counterparts. The film, originally released in the U.K., does everything a horror flick should do while adding a strong sense of shock and suspense to an otherwise predictable plot, and includes plenty of obligatory blood and gore.

The film follows six European women as they seek adventure in a cave deep in the Appalachian region. However, it isn't until the women become trapped far below the surface that they discover their leader Juno has brought them to an unknown cave with no idea where ?and if - it opens up again. When they encounter a race of blind, carnivorous Gollum-like creatures living in the caves, a brutal fight for survival begins against the predators, as well as each other.

Like nearly every other similarly plotted horror film, it's no surprise that a good portion of the group won't survive the film. However, "The Descent" greatly benefits from a relentless pace of carnage and largely unexpected surprises, without the suspenseful musical crescendos and other cliches plaguing the horror genre. A clever use of infrared cameras only adds to the frightening experience that both the characters and the audience find themselves in.

"The Descent" is a welcome relief to a Hollywood riddled with unoriginal scare tactics. Playing on a variety of fears, the film is a terror for those who are weak of stomach, claustrophobic or just jumpy.