The Cave is an interesting movie and kind of hard to define. It deals with a bunch of experienced divers going into an unexplored cave to make a grand discovery only to find themselves face to face with some mean creatures. The Cave (2005) movie review
It doesn’t take long for our characters to start exploring the cave (about 20 min into the movie) which is followed by a bunch of diving scenes that were overall shot well and look great. It gives us an idea of how big the cave is as well as how claustrophobic it can get on some really narrow places. The places they explore are well lit and we can see everything going on around. Usually movies such as these tend to keep everything in darkness which makes it hard to see anything interesting going on. It is also a way to hide any problems such as bad special effects or the fact that the area where the movie is filmed looks cheap or obviously a set.
Anyway, throughout the movie the characters move around from one part of the cave to another, usually encountering unusual occurrences which they can’t quite explain. They also do a bunch of diving, climbing, and squeezing themselves through some tight places. All of these sets felt big and real and the actions these characters did seemed rational in the situation they are in. Throughout the movie they bicker at each other and create this tension among themselves that also helps to serve as a driving force towards each one of them picking sides in the final act brought upon a want to survive in a world where they are not the top predator.
Speaking of predators, the big monsters on top are actually pretty neat looking. The small ones are similar to some deep sea creatures but the big ones look big and menacing. They are also mostly practical which makes them appear even better. Toward the end we get some CGI ones but they are kept to a minimum. They are used during complicated scenes that involve fast movements and sudden attacks. I was impressed how well the creatures looked for this type of a horror movie. They are also not shown too much but we always know they are present due to them making clicking sounds. I would have liked to see more of their origin but this is a minor complaint.
In terms of cinematography, as mentioned most of the diving looked good and not too shaky/jerky. The diologue is average and doesn’t go much beyond people talking about where to go next. The acting and delivery is overall good for a horror movie. The sets felt big and we never lost sight of how ginormous the cave walls are. The movie is also well lit and we can see everything inside. This is despite the total darkness they would be in a real life scenario.
Overall the movie is fun. Lots of diving sequences, the creatures were big and looked very real. The big ones didn’t move too much but we can definitely see how dangerous they are. If there was a complaint about the movie it would be that the music wasn’t used well. For example, there were numerous scenes where the music/score gets really loud and seems to build up for no reason. They would be going from one room to another with nothing being shown to be chasing them. However the music would become louder and louder for no reason only to stop with no earned payoff. Other than that this is a good turn your brain off and enjoy movie.
Thanks for reading my The Cave (2005) movie review
