Three Under-the-Radar Horror Films to Check Out This Halloween
The Descent has everything you could possibly want from a great horror flick.
By LUKE WALSH
Every October 31st, people gather to revisit their favorite horror classics. You might queue up Friday the 13th, The Exorcist, or maybe even the original Halloween. These movies are undoubtedly important to the genre, but while recycling these hits, you may be overlooking some other lesser-known gems.
The first on our list, The Descent (2005), has everything you could possibly want from a great horror flick. A year after the tragic loss of her husband and child, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) joins her five friends on a cave diving trip that soon turns into a fight for survival as they encounter a pack of ravenous creatures deep within the mysterious caverns. How can you not enjoy a group of friends embarking on a harrowing journey into the unknown?
The movie is clearly indebted to 70s horror-thriller predecessors like Deliverance, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Alien, but it also provides something rivetingly fun and original. It features anxiety-provoking, claustrophobic tension as the women navigate the narrow tunnels beneath the surface, as well as sequences of brutal gore, such as a disembowelment and a self-inflicted spelunking accident that features a gut-wrenching leg injury.
Amidst all the scares, The Descent keeps you invested in the interpersonal relationships of the six female leads, which is no small feat considering the horror genre typically lacks in the character development department. We witness their strength and loyalty getting tested as their circumstances become increasingly dire. The protagonist, Sarah, starts the expedition timid and insecure, continuously haunted by her trauma. As the film progresses, she undergoes an extensive psychological change, ending with a psyche certainly more damaged, but also hardened and ruthless, as opposed to the meek shell of a person she once was. The rest of the group all wrestle with their own neuroses as well, either collapsing under the pressure or rising to the top.
Perhaps the film’s greatest strength is its ability to blend real-life and supernatural horror. The sharp stalactites within the crevices are just as terrifying as the monsters that resemble a combination of Gollum and a 1930s Nosferatu. The Descent exploits the inherent dread of being trapped in a deep, dark cave to perfection. The first half of the movie employs this device almost exclusively. After that, things get increasingly ludicrous in all the best ways. Director Neil Marshall frequently uses lighting to keep the viewer on their toes. Often you’re given nothing but a pitch black screen, or sometimes the flickering light of a headlamp, or maybe even the menacing red glow from a flare. By the end of the film, you may even feel like you are having a hallucinatory experience. The Descent is as thrilling as it is terrifying and never leaves your brain hanging, making it a worthy addition to your horror catalogue.
Now, if you’re a fan of the found footage genre, or simply enjoy having your nervous system ravaged, the Spanish horror stand-out Rec (2007) is for you. Rec follows a reporter and her cameraman who accompany a group of firefighters on a routine service call that quickly goes awry. They find themselves trapped in an apartment building along with its residents as they all begin to realize a zombie contagion is spreading.
Rec doesn’t concern itself with any underlying theme or message. Instead, it bombards you with jumpscares and delivers all of the undead thrills you’re looking for. The film thrives within its straightforward premise and minimal setting, making the most out of its brisk runtime.
Co-directors Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró demonstrate a masterclass in less-is-more filmmaking. Even those who find the found footage format a bit exhausting will be impressed by their ability to assault the viewer’s senses. The camera is constantly moving, giving the film a kinetic energy that would rival any great action sequence.
Rec succeeds in what it sets out to do, and does so in a taut 80 minutes. The manic pace coupled with the number of zombie ambushes will leave you needing a hot cup of tea just to calm your nerves.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Australian film The Babadook (2014). Rather than rely on cheap jumpscares and predictable tropes, The Babadook grounds its horror in the psychological.
Amelia (Essie Davis), a single mother, wounded by the death of her husband, struggles to raise her deviant son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) as her mental health slowly falters. Sam has trouble in school and as of late, claims that the mysterious children’s book character “Mister Babadook” is after him. As his episodes get worse, his mother grows increasingly more distraught.
The Babadook’s horror is largely psychological.
The Babadook evokes not only tension, but genuine discomfort. You’ll feel the need to look away as you watch Sam throw a screaming tantrum in the backseat of his mother’s car. The emotional distress that Amelia experiences is forced onto the viewer as her mind and body wither.
The story is centered around the grief that she copes with as well as her inability to love her own son as a result. This psychological trauma is conveyed through Essie Davis’s disturbing performance. Her physical performance alone, especially her overwrought facial expressions, is enough to capture the loss and anguish that Amelia deals with.
The monster itself – the Babadook – serves as a powerful metaphor for grief and learning how to move on. Is the evil antagonist real or imagined? It doesn’t actually matter. Deft direction and an effective story make The Babadook a refreshingly unique horror tale.
With so many entries in the genre, it can be difficult to wade through all of the half-baked attempts at horror brilliance to find a real under-appreciated classic. Hopefully these three movies will keep your Halloween viewing on the right track.