The Descent 2 Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Edit Profile

RAMSEY CAMPBELL » Discussion » The Descent 2 « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Lincoln Brown (Lincoln_brown)
Username: Lincoln_brown

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 121.219.47.188
Posted on Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 12:05 pm:   

Wow, what a load of crap.
Bad acting, bad set design/lighting AND rubber rocks! And it disrespects the original by following on from the US DVD ending, where Sarah escapes, not the 'proper' UK ending we got down here in Aus.
Avoid at all costs.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Frank (Frank)
Username: Frank

Registered: 09-2008
Posted From: 85.222.86.21
Posted on Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 12:51 pm:   

Yep, had a look at the trailer and thought it might be terrible, but you know what trailers are like, I was hoping I was wrong.

Anyway, cheers, Lincoln, now I know to give it a miss.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Jonathan (Jonathan)
Username: Jonathan

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 91.109.145.132
Posted on Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 02:37 pm:   

If you go with the original UK ending (the proper ending) there's no basis for this sequel at all. It completely ignores Marshall's original intentions.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

John Forth (John)
Username: John

Registered: 05-2008
Posted From: 82.24.1.217
Posted on Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 07:24 pm:   

Yeah, I was a bit outraged that they chose to ignore the original ending, so I've avoided this on general principal.

On a vaguely related topic, has anyone seen Neil Marshall's latest - CENTURION? Worth a watch?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Paul_finch (Paul_finch)
Username: Paul_finch

Registered: 11-2009
Posted From: 92.20.16.95
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 12:30 am:   

The Descent 2 is the worst kind of remake there is. A step by step re-run of the original, adding nothing new or different and not continuing the story in any way.

Exactly the sort of thing that has bedevilled the horror movie industry for so long. A perfect example of why mainstreamers just won't take this genre seriously. Definitely avoid.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Frank (Frank)
Username: Frank

Registered: 09-2008
Posted From: 85.222.86.21
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 10:48 am:   

John - Saw Centurion last week. I loved it. That might have to do with Michael Fassbender, who is fast becoming somebody to watch (see him in one of the most darkest, depressing films of last year in Hunger - the IRA hunger strikes of the early 80's, namely about Bobby Sands...horrifying).

Centurion is nothing new, but it's beautifully shot, solidly directed, and the actors are great. You've seen this kind of genre film before, but it's somehow a magical little gem of a film. Haven't put my finger on it yet.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert)
Username: John_l_probert

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 213.253.174.81
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 11:25 am:   

John - Here's my review from the Centurion thread started back in April:

It's Marshall's recurring 'small group of people against the odds' theme recycled and while I don't have a problem with that at all this didn't work as well for me as his other attempts at a similar plot. Neither as claustrophobically terrifying as The Descent nor as much knockabout Umberto Lenzi-styled tomfoolery as Doomsday, Centurion doesn't know whether it wants to be seriously bleak or a rip-roaring romantic adventure tale and never resolves this, right down to the final shot.

The Romans are the heroes in this and are played by British actors like Liam Cunningham and David Morrisey and while this would be ok the villains are meant to be the native British who, we are told in graphic detail, have been raped abused and tortured by the invading Roman hordes, which kind of makes any sympathy for our band of not very likeable anyway warriors kind of go out of the window before we're very far into things.

In the end this is more like one of those Hammer adventure films where you have to ignore the gaffs and the Romans are all played by the kind of people who will have audiences saying - ooh look it's him off the telly! It's ok I suppose but I can't really recommend it.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Kate (Kathleen)
Username: Kathleen

Registered: 09-2009
Posted From: 81.152.74.159
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 11:33 am:   

It does have a fantastic female "villain" (and by that I mean "girl avenging her rape and torture and the murder of her people").

Etain
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Kate (Kathleen)
Username: Kathleen

Registered: 09-2009
Posted From: 81.152.74.159
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 11:35 am:   

I avoided The Descent 2 on general principles too. I love the original AND its proper ending. So sad to see such a gem of a film defiled with an unnecessary and unimaginative sequel.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 81.96.253.77
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 12:56 pm:   

Ditto, Kate. Ditto.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

John Forth (John)
Username: John

Registered: 05-2008
Posted From: 217.20.16.180
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 03:00 pm:   

Thanks folks. I shall give CENTURION a watch at some point in the near future, I'm sure.

THE DESCENT really was an excellent little film.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Stevie Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 03:36 pm:   

This was my reaction on seeing it back in April:

Saw 'Centurion' last night and enjoyed it immensely. Just the kind of blood 'n' thunder B-movie with balls that British cinema used to turn out by the dozen every week back in the good old days. I'd rank this marginally better than 'Doomsday' and just behind 'The Descent' & 'Dog Soldiers' (still his best for me).

In fact the movie has much in common with DS as once again we have a small group of highly trained military men cut off and alone in the wild and beautiful Highlands of Scotland facing a deadly ravening foe (the Scots!) picking them off one-by-one in increasingly gruesome ways. Think 'Southern Comfort' with cool Roman legionnaires out of their depth and fighting tooth and nail to get back on the safe side of Hadrian's Wall with their innards intact and the bad guys a bunch of blue-face-painted Billy Connolly look-alikes (the horror!) led by the scariest female villain I can recall in many a long year - a regular flesh-rending she-wolf indeed! This is genre filmmaking for the sheer hell of it and every bit as rip-roaring, unpretentious, blood spattered and damn exciting as anything made in the 1970s with no CGI and loads of good old-fashioned make-up, fake blood and prosthetic effects. Fucking excellent!!

British filmmakers take note... we want more of this please!


It's still in my Top 10 of 2010 and is just about the most unpretentiously enjoyable genre movie of the year so far imho.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

John Forth (John)
Username: John

Registered: 05-2008
Posted From: 82.24.1.217
Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010 - 09:57 pm:   

Thanks, Stevie.

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Bold text Italics Underline Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image

Username: Posting Information:
This is a private posting area. Only registered users and moderators may post messages here.
Password:
Options: Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration