Dark Web: A Descent into Hell is a clearly amateur production, but that doesn't stop it from standing out for certain elements that work surprisingly well within its limitations. Directed with remarkable restraint, it opts for a more leisurely and sober approach, something that gives it a certain identity of its own within a saturated subgenre.
The story follows Ludovico122, a YouTuber who decides to record his descent through the levels of the deep web, trying to reach the legendary "level eight", that place full of mystery and urban legends where the darkest and most inhuman things on the internet are said to happen. The idea, although not new, is attractive: a character who embarks on a journey of digital self-exposure without being aware of the price he may pay for crossing certain limits. In addition, it manages to keep the plot in about 4 or 5 scenarios without making it boring.
The narration is simple, but effective. The vlog-like structure allows for a quick immersion, making the viewer discover with the same curiosity-and then restlessness-as the protagonist. The direction does not commit excesses: it opts for a practically fixed camera or with smooth movements, contributing to creating a feeling of dry and even monotonous realism, but which plays in favor of the growing climate of discomfort.
The performances, without being professional, maintain a tone coherent with the style of the proposal, especially the badly interpreted Electra, the rest of the cast is functional.
Of course, there are clear limitations: the most extreme situations arrive late and without too much force, and the resolution is somewhat predictable, showing a shallow account of a profound story. However, the film hints that there was an intention to build something beyond the easy scare: a very light but present reflection on the limits of curiosity.
Without being revolutionary, Dark Web: A Descent into Hell manages to offer a modest but well-thought-out experience, with a more serious tone than expected and a less hysterical approach than others of the same style. For fans of digital horror or minimalist cinema, it is worth a viewing and makes up for the bad reviews on IMDb from people who expect, in an amateur production, a movie with the same action as any mainstream shitball.
