Dark Descent

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.

This movie marks the return to that 80's scifi set look we all love and don't miss. At all. Although this is obviously a TV-quality movie I doubt it's possible to make a futuristic indoor movie any cheaper than this with it's few grey walled sets and a few meters of corridor which one soon comes to recognize. Although the movie is dreary and just plain silly, this is not it's major fault. You soon find yourself wondering how blatant a ripoff you can get away with when the plot, clothes and scenes are taken from the 80ies movie "Outland" with Sean Connery.

Save yourself the time and money and rent something (anything) else.

...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.

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.

It was like the writers of this movie found out they had Dean Cain cast and said "Well bugger that then, I think we can get by without a storyline". With so little plot you would think it would be easy to make it coherent and yet there were still holes. Cain is forced to carry the whole movie and while his performance isn't that bad his character lacks any depth and consequently is entirely uninteresting to watch. Low production value shines through as you watch bullets fly off what is obviously plastic tubing. If you like watching people walk people walk around and around in circles, this movie is for you, otherwise don't bother.