THE DESCENT PART II Has A Promo!
Here’s the ‘rub’ when it comes to giving the “alternate ending” of a film to one audience (America) and the original ending to another (UK and Europe): What the hell do you do when it comes to your inevitable sequel? Whose intelligence do you insult? In the case of The Descent Part II, it appears that it is the intelligence of UK / European audiences that will be taking a raping.
It’s a situation that Will Smith and company found themselves in with I Am Legend and very quickly dug themselves out of by refusing to go down the ‘sequel’ root and cop out by trying to pass off the ‘alternate ending’ as the “real” ending or whatever. They have no such qualms over on The Descent Part II – whereby the “reality” of ‘Sarah’ being actually trapped and left for dead, has been politely glossed over it seems in order to give the sequel the chance to take as much as it possibly can from James Cameron’s Aliens.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about this – the “promo” for The Descent Part II.
Now I was a fan of Neil Marshall’s original, I’ll admit that. I still think everyone and their granny went a little OTT in regarding it as some sort of “masterpiece” though. I’m REALLY not sure about this though. I’ve seen the whole ropey-actors-climb-into-a-cave-and-get-munched thing. Why would I want to see it done all over again through the eyes of the original film’s editor?
Colour me sceptical. Your thoughts?
2 Responses to “THE DESCENT PART II Has A Promo!”
I liked the original. It would be nice if the sequel was smart paced, intense, and exciting like the original. It would also be nice if the film stood on its own, as the UK ending left Sarah in the gave; the American version had an unnecessary “BOO” ending that didn’t make much sense even if Sarah escaped. The American version actually cheapened the film’s ending IMO. Sarah should have gotten out of the cave. The end.
One thing that made the original so good was the characters, the suspense and the growing tension. The monsters didn’t show up until around half way through or the final third. It was an exciting film of woman Vs. nature in itself. The promo trailer for the sequel looks like Aliens only this time in a cave. I’m not quite sure why Sarah would want to go back down there after all she went through, but I suppose she lost her family, friends; she has little left to lose (only her life).
So yes. It could be entertaining. I liked the original very much so the idea of a sequel once I saw the UK ending intrigued me. But the more I think about it, the less excited I am. Because the original seemed passionately produced and Neil Marshal isn’t directing this time around. Then again after seeing the utterly entertaining trash of Doomsday, it may be best that way.
It would be impressive if the new cast and crew nail the sequel, creating a rush of a film, a great follow up that doesn’t copy off the original or Aliens per say, but introduces various other villains in the caves including a super boss villain (in a not cheesy way but completely frightening), thus taking the viewer deeper down into the labyrinth of caves and darkness more than ever before.
You’ve got your UK ending mixed up with your US ending Jon. The sequel is basing itself off of the ‘happy’ US ending!
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