The Cavern

This must be one of the worse movies that I have ever seen. On a par with Blair Witch and just as annoying. The flashing helmet lights made things difficult to see and I think that epileptics should take heed as there are moments with strobing that makes this movie even more annoying. I think if they had been quieter they might have found a way out. Then when you think the geek might come up trumps even he resorts to a nervous breakdown. Oh and when is the guy who is having sex realise that when the girl says she can hear something. She Can Really Hear Something. One of these guys must have at least seen Scream (where they draw your attention to such things) It is also a big let-down when a premise offers so much promise and then someone writes the script. So sorry folks I got this on weekly at the video shop and I would still like my money back.

WIthIN, released in Australia as "The Cavern", is for all intents and purposes a very cheap remake of "The Cave". The film borrows elements from a number of genre films; most noticeably "Blair Witch" and "Aliens", yet the similarities with "The Cave" remain overwhelming. WIthIN really should be a complete waste of time. However, despite its many failings, the film is surprisingly entertaining and possesses one of the better "shock" endings in recent memory.

I'm not sure which film came first, "The Cave" or "The Cavern", but they are ridiculously similar. In the former a caving expedition explores an ancient cave in Romania, while in the latter, cavers explore an old cave in Kazakhstan. In both films, the cavers are picked off, one at a time, by evil creatures. I enjoyed "The Cave" as stupid entertainment, mainly due to the stunning photography and impressive stunt work. And yet strangely, it is the absence of these qualities that gives WIthIN its sense of menace. The glossy stunt work in "The Cave", while spectacular to watch, has the effect of distancing the viewer. The caving action in WIthIN is less impressive but, as a result, more realistic.

"The Cavern" gains momentum as the film progresses. At first, I feared I was not only watching a zero budget re-imagining of "The Cave" but also the work of rabid "Blair Witch" fan. The first person perspective camera work, the resulting blurred images and the emphasis on strange noises all seemed very familiar. Thankfully, these annoying devices give way to an emphasis on more traditional gore. The violence is mostly implied but it is effective. If the script was less ridiculous and the actors somewhat more competent, the film could have been quite disturbing as the director definitely has a gift for creating a sense of suspense and claustrophobia.

The main reason to watch "The Cavern" is the ending, which is far more sinister and interesting that the main body of the film. The brutality of the finale took me by surprise, given the rather meek nature of the violence that pervades the rest of the film. The final revelation actually makes no sense at all given the circumstances surrounding the cavers' deaths earlier in the film. However, I was willing to overlook that small detail due to the gloriously exploitative turn of events. If the entire movie had been similar in tone, it would have packed a far heftier punch. As it is, WIthIN is a curious low budget horror film that shows glimpses of a director with some potential.

A virtual carbon copy of The Cave save for a fewer lower budget effects and a slightly different plot. I knew the movie was going downhill when I saw the fake campfire flikering lights clearly reflected in a facial close up of one of the actors. The conflicts between characters and subplots seemed to serve no purpose whatsoever, and added nothing to the film except fewer moments of silence. The acting wasn't as bad as the typical B movie, and there was some believability in their fear, but as professional cavers, they seem to be too psychologically unstable for their chosen profession. Overall not worth wasting $4.50 to rent.

What a shocker. For starters, I couldn't stand the constant screaming and noisy panicking all the time. It didn't make me scared, horrified, or make me sympathetic towards the characters; it was simply annoying. The jerky camera movements were also annoying. The plot was the same as pretty much every other cheap horror. There was a few pathetic attempts to give the characters some depth, but it didn't really work into the rest of the plot. And then there's the ending. I'm still not really sure what to make of it. I guess it was supposed to be clever twist, then shed some light on the situation, but it was just stupid.

The case had a couple of those little award winner/nominations symbols on it, so I figured it couldn't be too bad. I was wrong. If you see it, you should probably just leave it on the shelf.

The Cavern: 2 out of 10: Blair Witch meets The Cave and gives me a headache.

I have something to ask all film schools, could you please teach future directors how to hold a camera steady. Flailing the camera around like Aunt Betty with 12 drinks is headache inducing.

Also film is primarily a visual medium directors may want to point their camera's in the general direction of the action. Film also requires light to work. Perhaps a light source should be employed so one can see the action on the screen. I know it is a cave movie but there is absolutely nothing frightening about watching pitch blackness for minutes at a time.

For that matter showing the film upside down doesn't indicate confusion on screen it indicates confusion in the editing booth.

A last note to the director I'm sure there was a good reason to have a horribly fake CGI campfire. I honestly can't for the life of me think of one.

Now on to the screenwriter. Try to make at least one character likable. I'd prefer two or more but one decent person I can root for or care about might help. Also if you are going to have flashbacks make them relevant to the story.

If you are going to have a surprise ending it is probably best if it doesn't contradict every single thing that comes before it. And try adding some fancy spelunking terms to a cave movie. You might have wanted to start with spelunking.

The Cavern is a pretty bad film, poorly shot with a confusing, improbable and anticlimactic ending.