by Mike Tiongson

Having a boring Thursday night? No parties to go to? Are you a freshman? Then I suggest you hit up the closest DVD rental store (or machine) and liven up the night with some of this year’s scaaaaary mooooovies (*spooky ghost noise*).  The past year has blessed us with a plethora of grade A horror flicks for some serious viewing pleasure… Okay, maybe not. The only ones I have actually seen and can regurgitate a review for are Saw III (garbage) and The Descent.

First off, we’ll start off with last chapter of the Saw series, Saw III. Well, for our sake, hopefully it will be the last chapter. After the first Saw I was shocked, horrified, scared out of my wits, and like the earnest masochist I am, begged for more. The never ending torture that Saw I had, which was unrivaled by other contemporary horror flicks, the gratuitous amount of blood and gore, and the combination of twisted morality and deluded justice, provided viewers with a refreshing novel taste to horror films. Then there was Saw II, which was also equally good and satiated my desire for Saw. Then there was Saw III, which was a complete and utter disappointment. It felt as if the writers had nothing else to write about and were trying to milk the franchise for all its worth. It had been the same Saw I and Saw II all over again, except with less of an intriguing plot and more unnecessary gore and torture. All that is left are some sorry excuses for plot twists and simply creative ways of people being tortured and then finally dying a horrible death. Before you go out and secure yourself a copy of Saw III, STOP, and think to yourself, “Would I want to watch the Saw I and II over again?” If you do, then Saw III is just right for you.

And now… The Descent, which, in a nutshell, is a story about a bunch of girls on a power trip who for some stupid reason, venture deep into some unexplored caverns to satisfy their irrational menstrual cycle-induced cravings. After getting themselves lost, they sooner or later encounter the indigenous creatures of the area, and then get into a little bit of trouble (or something along those lines). Anyway, I won’t give away what these creatures are because the movie trailer doesn’t even do it. Also the movie is legitimately scary, even for a fearless, skeptic science major like me.  Most of the movie takes place is about 80% darkness, giving it an Aliens sort of feel, but even scarier. The creature design is superb and teeters on the border or believability and movie magic. If you wish to be scared in a way you’ve never been before or in a way you haven’t been in a long time, then this movie is a keeper.