Dark Descent

Here's some advice for aspiring filmmakers: the total lack of a budget does not doom you to not making movies, but it does prevent you from making movies that demand good production values. Case in point is Descent, set in an underwater mining colony. Unfortunately, the real set is a bunch of Star Trek inspired sci-fi hallways. The story (what story there is) could have taken place at your public school. Another note to filmmakers: if your story sucks, the set's got to look good! Bottom line: avoid this sorry excuse for sci-fi and rent The Abyss instead.

For some reason, I got the wrong conception that is film was really going to be an under water thriller and not turn into a complete Merry-go-round of people running from one place to another and shooting up the place like an old time Western. Dean Cain(Will Murdock), played a plastic cop who tried to keep law and order as a Marshall and tried to obtain help among the crew, and what do you think happened? All I can say about this film is that Dean Cain did his very best to keep this film together. However, there was a brief scene where a gal grinds herself up and down a pole for the men's enjoyment and that was probably a HIGH LIGHT to the film. Avoid, if you want to!

...when it was called "Outland." Both of which are, as another commenter said, based on "High Noon." Some of the shots are almost identical to the Connery movie, as are the basic scenario and subplot elements. Additionally, some of the plot details they changed, presumably to avoid lawsuits, created huge, unresolved plot holes. And of course Dean Cain can't hold a candle to Connery at his post-Bond peak.

As if those failings were not egregious enough, this movie also lacks the cranky charm of Frances Sternhagen.

Rend "Outland" and sink this flick in the Marianas Trench.

1 October 2002. Dark Descent has many similarities to Outland (1981), a space western, starring Sean Connery. Unfortunately, Dark Descent doesn't really have much original going for it and, in fact, does a worse job. Outland by contrast had a tight script, good use of interaction and tension with its characters. As a ripoff, Dark Descent descends rather than promotes what Outland has already accomplished.

After midnight, having a bout of insomnia, I see Dean Cain in a Outland knockoff that only lacks the production values, plot, visual effects and acting.

Basically, a very bad "Outland" under water. The concept has some merit. Instead of vacuum, think extreme pressure and its related dangers. Of course, because of the obvious low budget, they couldn't really develop along those lines. Dean Cain does what he can with what he has. Regarding production values, I think there was one visual effect that was interesting.

Typically, I really enjoy campy, grade-B (or less) sci-fi thrillers but I just couldn't do this time. Watch a DVD you have watched more than 15 times, do some laundry, read a book, read a comic book, read a Judith Krantz novel before fall into the trap that is "Dark Descent".