10 MORE Horror Movies Where The Hero ALMOST Won
6. The Descent
The Descent was likely one of the strongest horror films to emerge from the flood of bloody chillers in the mid-noughties, due to its breakneck suspense and action, a fantastic, grounded all-female ensemble cast, and a claustrophobic setting with horrific cave troll-like creatures (is that what they are?). Neil Marshall really announced his arrival as a horror director with the movie, yet he has yet to match its power since, especially with its haunting ending.
The gut punch of a finale has the two remaining protagonists, Juno (Natalie Mendoza) and Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) - former friends with a severed history - finally begin working together as a team and fighting for an exit in a last push for survival. It’s an exhilarating sequence that has the audience rooting for these women to get away and bury the hatchet.
Well, the hatchet is buried alright - directly into Juno’s leg - in a nasty twist that has Sarah turn on her and leave her as food for the creatures. The damage in their relationship just could never be forgiven.
Soon after, Sarah makes a mad dash to emerge as the sole survivor out of the caves, but the final swerve reveals it was all a delusion. She actually remains trapped in the caves, her PTSD-induced madness having only created the illusion of freedom. The audience is left to conclude she will likely become the next meal for the monsters. That, or die of starvation.
If only they had worked together...