The Descent at DVinfo.net

Marco Leavitt · August 14th, 2006, 10:17 AM

Damn this is a cool movie. Any theories about the final shot?

SPOLIER SPOLIER SPOLIER

Is she imagining that, or did her "friend" manage to escape and catch up with her?

Mike Marriage · August 14th, 2006, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Leavitt

Damn this is a cool movie. Any theories about the final shot?

SPOLIER SPOLIER SPOLIER

Is she imagining that, or did her "friend" manage to escape and catch up with her?

The film has been out in the UK for a while ( I have the DVD) but I heard that they changed the ending for US release. In the UK version it ends with her starring at her daughter (obviously completely imagined) in front of a birthday cake. It pulls back to reveal her still trapped underground. Just before the end you think that she has escaped, but it turns out to be a dream (after she is knocked out) and she wakes up still trapped.

On the director's commentary, Neil Marshall states that he left it up to the audience about what is real and what is imagined... maybe she killed all the friends herself and just imagined the creatures..?

Jaadgy Akanni · August 14th, 2006, 04:16 PM

I've been wanting to find out about this movie. I saw it a few days ago. It's quite videoy (30p?) but it was nicely shot and edited. What cameras did they use? what post software did they use?...etc

Erik Rangel · August 14th, 2006, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Leavitt

Is she imagining that, or did her "friend" manage to escape and catch up with her?

I was under the impression that Guilt (for leaving her friend behind wounded) caused her to see her at the end.
Or it was her ghost back for revenge.

Tim Goldman · August 14th, 2006, 06:24 PM

really? english ending is different? then i'll have to get the region 2 version (hurray for multiregion dvd)

Marcus Marchesseault · August 14th, 2006, 09:19 PM

I saw it a few weeks ago here in the States and I did not like the UK ending. Actually, I think it was the fight just before the ending that bugged me and that conflict started because of an accident where the asian girl behaved very un-human. I chalked her behavior off to "because it was in the script" Hollywood movie logic and started to lose interest at that point.

I really liked the movie up until the accident involving a climbing axe caused by the asian woman. Sorry to be so vague. I don't like to deliver detailed spoilers. What I can say that is not a spoiler, and is even a compliment, is that I have been on a spelunking excursion in a non-tourist cave and the movie really seemed to catch the look and feel of being in a cave. I know they took a few liberties with the lighting, but a cave is so dark that it would be impossible to shoot with an entirely realistic lighting setup. There was only one real flaw with the lighting and that was related to the UK ending that I did not like. I'll elaborate after people have had a chance to go see for themselves.

If you like B horror movies, this one is above average for that lot. It was shot well and at least the first half of the movie wasn't riddled with logic flaws.

My comment at the end of the movie was, "I hope they re-edit the ending before they release that here." I'm not necessarily expecting the everything is all doomed/peachy ending, but I at least want the director to deliver an idea as to what happens at the end. I don't like when the director doesn't have the guts to just make an ending and stick with it. The nebulous artsy-phartsy stuff doesn't sell for a reason. It is not as smart as it claims to be. Give me a "feel-bad" ending over a "WTF was that?" ending any day. All that the "WTF?" endings get me to do is start analysing the movie and most can't stand up to logical scrutiny which ruins the movie when the audience is supposed to look that closely. Perhaps the U.S. version has a more decisive ending?

Marco Leavitt · August 15th, 2006, 09:35 AM

From the description, I have to say I think I like the U.S. ending better. This is mainly because I hate ---HATE, HATE, HATE -- fakeout dream sequences. They are an insipid, unimaginative cliche.

Mike Marriage · August 15th, 2006, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaadgy Akanni

I've been wanting to find out about this movie. I saw it a few days ago. It's quite videoy (30p?) but it was nicely shot and edited. What cameras did they use? what post software did they use?...etc

Pretty sure it was 35mm. I'd guess 24 fps.

August 14th, 2006, 10:17 AM	#1
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	The Descent Damn this is a cool movie. Any theories about the final shot? SPOLIER SPOLIER SPOLIER Is she imagining that, or did her "friend" manage to escape and catch up with her?

August 14th, 2006, 04:16 PM	#3
Jaadgy Akanni Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: new york city Posts: 346	I've been wanting to find out about this movie. I saw it a few days ago. It's quite videoy (30p?) but it was nicely shot and edited. What cameras did they use? what post software did they use?...etc __________________ I will be KING!

August 14th, 2006, 06:24 PM	#5
Tim Goldman Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 135	really? english ending is different? then i'll have to get the region 2 version (hurray for multiregion dvd) __________________ Wish I had something witty to say

August 14th, 2006, 09:19 PM	#6
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	I saw it a few weeks ago here in the States and I did not like the UK ending. Actually, I think it was the fight just before the ending that bugged me and that conflict started because of an accident where the asian girl behaved very un-human. I chalked her behavior off to "because it was in the script" Hollywood movie logic and started to lose interest at that point. I really liked the movie up until the accident involving a climbing axe caused by the asian woman. Sorry to be so vague. I don't like to deliver detailed spoilers. What I can say that is not a spoiler, and is even a compliment, is that I have been on a spelunking excursion in a non-tourist cave and the movie really seemed to catch the look and feel of being in a cave. I know they took a few liberties with the lighting, but a cave is so dark that it would be impossible to shoot with an entirely realistic lighting setup. There was only one real flaw with the lighting and that was related to the UK ending that I did not like. I'll elaborate after people have had a chance to go see for themselves. If you like B horror movies, this one is above average for that lot. It was shot well and at least the first half of the movie wasn't riddled with logic flaws. My comment at the end of the movie was, "I hope they re-edit the ending before they release that here." I'm not necessarily expecting the everything is all doomed/peachy ending, but I at least want the director to deliver an idea as to what happens at the end. I don't like when the director doesn't have the guts to just make an ending and stick with it. The nebulous artsy-phartsy stuff doesn't sell for a reason. It is not as smart as it claims to be. Give me a "feel-bad" ending over a "WTF was that?" ending any day. All that the "WTF?" endings get me to do is start analysing the movie and most can't stand up to logical scrutiny which ruins the movie when the audience is supposed to look that closely. Perhaps the U.S. version has a more decisive ending?

August 15th, 2006, 09:35 AM	#7
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	From the description, I have to say I think I like the U.S. ending better. This is mainly because I hate ---HATE, HATE, HATE -- fakeout dream sequences. They are an insipid, unimaginative cliche.