The Cave Movie Review:


Monsters, caves, thrill-seekers, scientists and claustrophobia are all the elements that make “The Cave” just another one of those old-fashioned “monster-mash” movies.

I suffer from an affliction. I love monster movies or as I call them creature features. I don’t care how cheesy they are or if there is some guy running around in a giant rubber suit. Ok, I couldn’t get through all the Godzilla movies but most of them I liked. I don’t know what it is about them but I am always glued to screen wondering what kind of creature that Hollywood has unleashed on us this time. I find it spellbinding for some reason.

If you suffer from the same affliction as me then you are probably going to love “The Cave” for basically what it is.

A group of “spelunkers” and a couple scientists descend down into one of the largest underground caves ever discovered. Hoping to unlock its secrets and discover what lies beneath. As the team discovers their surroundings they begin to realize they are not alone and that they aren’t the first explorers to visit these tunnels. The team begins to panic when one of their team members is killed and a freak cave-in blocks off their only way out. Alone in the dark, low on supplies and being hunted by winged creatures, the team must survive.

The film stars a lot of “B-actors” including Cole Hauser (“2 Fast 2 Furious”), Eddie Cibrian (TV’s “Third Watch” & “Tilt”), Morris Chestnut (“Ladder 49”), Piper Perabo (“Coyote Ugly”) and Lena Headey (“The Brothers Grimm”).

The film itself is basically “Alien” in the underground but even if we have seen it a dozen times before it can still be a lot of fun.

The film’s atmosphere and sense of claustrophobia is probably its most redeeming feature. The film excels when it focuses on the elements and what it really feels like to be miles and miles below the earth. I loved the underwater sequences and how the film was able to make this underground world feel and look so real. This was also the same with “Alien” and what it was like to be in deep space.

The film’s script doesn’t allow for the audience to get to know the group or allow for a dynamic to evolve. I think this was the key reason why this movie wasn’t as good as it could have been.

One other aspect I found kind of confusing is the fact to why are all these people going down inside this cave. The film just assumes we know. What is the benefit of cave exploration? What is the motive to get into these hazardous situations deep underground?

There also seems to be a lot of unnecessary footage that for me should have been on the DVD. The film’s first scene and the film’s last scene should have been extras on the DVD. Putting those scenes aside, the film should have allowed for the audience to get to know the “spelunker team” better.

If you check your brain at the door and get wrapped up in the film’s wonderful atmosphere then you are sure to enjoy “The Cave”.

So Says the Soothsayer



Dean Kish

The discovery of the world’s largest cave system in Romania leads Jack (Hauser) and his cave diving team to explore were no person has ever gone before. When they enter the system via an old, abandoned church, the team soon realise that this is no ordinary cave and could hold an ecosystem all of its own. As they head down deeper, they discover that they are not alone and now have to fight to make it back to the surface alive.

The idea of unique creatures evolving inside an isolated ecosystem is nothing new in movies but can ‘The Cave’ bring something new to the survival horror genre?

Monster movies were nature has ran amok creating a creature that becomes the top predator in the food chain have made the survival horror genre a firm favourite but for every ‘Alien’ there is a ‘Creep’. This major hit and miss ratio means that you never know what to expect that went you start to watch a film like this. Unfortunately ‘The Cave’ is a real let down.

The setting and premise for the movie is very similar to the far superior British movie ‘The Descent’, the movie sees a team of experienced cave divers become the latest menu to an almost demonic monster from darkness. After entering the cave, the movie soon progresses into a ‘who is going to die next’ scenario, accidents and the creatures soon make short work of the team. This is all very familiar stuff but because the movie hasn’t got a very high certificate (only a 12A in the UK and a PG-13 in the US), the killings are not very gory. This fact is a major problem because this is what this genre really thrives upon.

The creatures themselves are very average indeed. Basically a giant flying humanoid bat, the creatures take far too long to actually make a full appearance and when they finally do you only get to see them very briefly, with no long establishing shots. There are also some mutated eels and moles but nothing that will win any prizes for visual effects.

The cast don’t fair any better either. Cole Hauser returns to the monster movie genre as cave diving leader Jack but even the ‘Pitch Black’ star can’t make his role anymore interesting. Morris Chestnut and Eddie Cibrian don’t fair much better with either of their underdeveloped characters. Lena Headey and Piper Perabo are just part of the cast for eye candy and nothing more, but Piper does get to do more than just be the damsel in distress.

With only a few decent death scenes and an atmospheric setting, ‘The Cave’ finds it difficult to standout in an already flooded market. With a decidingly average cast and story, this is a movie that you will watch once but it wouldn’t be long before is disappears into the dark recesses of your mind.

Jamie Kelwick

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