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The Descent begins with a tragic prologue that sets the stage for the psychological horror to come. Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) suffers an unimaginable loss when a car accident takes the lives of her husband and daughter. Struggling to cope with her grief and trauma, Sarah reluctantly agrees to join her adventurous friends for a caving expedition in the Appalachian Mountains, hoping the adrenaline-fueled trip will help her find some sense of closure.

The group, led by the daring and confident Juno (Natalie Mendoza), is composed of close-knit friends with a shared love for adventure. Joining Sarah and Juno are Beth (Alex Reid), Rebecca (Saskia Mulder), Sam (MyAnna Buring), and the thrill-seeking Holly (Nora-Jane Noone). Their plan is to explore an established cave system, but Juno secretly deviates from the plan, leading the group into an uncharted cave system in a bid to make their adventure more exciting—and claim the discovery for themselves.

As the women navigate the labyrinthine caves, an accident causes a rockfall, trapping them underground. With their exit sealed and no record of their location, panic begins to set in. Their hope for survival rests on finding an alternative route out, but the caves quickly reveal a horrifying secret: they are not alone.

The group encounters terrifying humanoid creatures known as Crawlers—blind, flesh-eating predators perfectly adapted to the dark, subterranean environment. The women’s struggle for survival becomes increasingly desperate as the Crawlers hunt them through the pitch-black tunnels. The claustrophobic setting, filled with narrow passageways and sudden drops, amplifies the terror as they attempt to outwit the creatures while grappling with their dwindling resources and the psychological strain of their situation.

As the nightmare unfolds, the group’s unity begins to unravel. Old tensions resurface, particularly between Sarah and Juno, who harbors a secret betrayal involving Sarah’s late husband. Betrayal, fear, and desperation lead to fractured trust and acts of self-preservation that push the characters to their breaking points.

Sarah undergoes a dramatic transformation, embracing her primal instincts to survive. Her descent into darkness mirrors the literal descent into the cave, as she confronts not only the Crawlers but also her own inner demons. The film crescendos to a brutal and ambiguous climax, leaving viewers to grapple with the haunting implications of Sarah’s journey.