Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...

Y’know... I hope this one’s good. I hope it’s fun. It’s just the kind of sort of crazy trashy horror action idea that should work, and Neil Marshall’s got chops. Let’s see what he’s up to now...

Hello Harry

Max Caddyshack here again

Just seen a rough cut of the new film from director of Dog Soldiers, a film which got a lot of positive reviews on your site and gained a bit of cult status in the US.

His new film The Descent is released in the UK in the summer and looks to increase Neil Marshall's increasing reputation as a horror director to look out for. Set in the Appallacian mountains (shot in the UK though) its about 5 young women who go on a cave exploring adventure and come across "cannibalistic crawlers".

One of the characters suffers a great personal loss at the beginning of the film (which is excellently done) and this helps drive the narrative during the film. Now what did I like about it and why should it be picked up in the US, well - you don't see the creatures (imagine Gollum crossed with a leopard) for about 45 mins and this set up increases the suspense and helps get to know the dynamics between the women (all pretty, but not O.C. style soap wannabes)

Once the creatures appear all hell breaks loose, its very gory, sick and reminded me of Aliens, as its all clostraphobic, dark with a lot of night vision and use of flashlight. There are nods to The Shining, Carrie, Deliverance and Apocalypse Now.

The dream sequences are well done and you jump in the right places. Neil could have easily made Dog Soldiers 2, but this films works without the humour and banter you had in that film. The interplay between the women here is very convincing.

Hopefully it will be picked up in the US. Shaun of the Dead and 28 Days Later should not be the only UK horror one-off hits.

Peace out

Max Caddyshack

Thanks, man. I don’t think this one’s got a U.S. release date yet, and I wonder how many people are going to confuse it with THE CAVE, which looks like virtually the exact same idea.

"Moriarty" out.