I like when a horror movie can work on you on more than one level. It always draws you in a bit more when you're confronted with smaller fears first or other situations that are relatable and make you feel for the characters. For example, The Strangers has an opening sequence with no horror in it whatsoever, where we realize that Scott Caan's character just asked Liv Tyler's to marry him, and she said no, and they're going to a remote house for a romantic weekend. The scenes are so uncomfortable, it almost makes you happy when the bad guys show up that you can get away from that feeling.
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Not for nothing, it's one of
my favorite posters too. |
That's why The Descent is a such a good experience too. For those that don't know, the movie centers on a group of friends who make annual extreme sports adventures. This year, they decide to go spelunking in a cave no one has ever explored. There a couple of times early in the movie where a character will become trapped while trying to shimmy through a crevice. The fear is palpable and believable. No one knows where they are. They can't call for help. And the thought of being trapped like that and the inevitable horrible death that would follow is scary in and of itself, and that's before the mutant-inbred-cannibal creatures show up.
So, why should this be seen on a big screen? Because when those stuck moments come up, the enormity of the screen becomes pivotal. It's just as terrifying a situation on your home TV, but that expanse of screen somehow has the effect of making the claustrophobic feeling even more intense.
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