Movie Review by Vivienne Messenger
Starring: Cole Hauser, Morris Chestnut, Eddie Cibrian, Rick Ravanello, Marcel Iures
Director: Bruce Hunt
A chiller in more ways than one, THE CAVE will send shivers down your spine as a crack cave diving team, equipped with the latest high tech diving gadgetry, embarks on the dangerous task of exploring an unknown cave system only recently discovered by a group of scientists hidden deep in a Romanian forest.
As the director Bruce Hunt keeps his finger on the pulse button from the outset and pushes it harder to keep the adrenaline pumping as the cave system reveals itself to be a unique, self-contained ecosystem, the eerie, black unknown begins to reveal some formidable predators. Ferociously aggressive and intent upon the speleologists’ annihilation, there is a good twist here concerning the origins of these creatures that reveals itself as the story unfolds!
Cole Hauser heads up this elite cave diving team with an authoritative and strong performance, but the ensemble cast all put in good performances (for as long as they’re alive) with Lena Headey and Piper Perabo providing the female glamour in the murky waters.
What also comes across is the sheer physicality of the acting required on set and on location in caving systems in Romania and Yucatan, Mexico. All the actors had to do several weeks of tough physical training including learning to dive using closed circuit re-breathers as opposed to scuba gear that would have created too many bubbles causing silt disturbance and even murkier water. This authenticity gives the movie that extra touch of realism that comes across very successfully.
Similarly themed like its British counterpart THE DESCENT, directed by Neil Marshall, THE CAVE is a chiller thriller, sci-fi action adventure movie that will keep your adrenaline raised and sets itself up for a sequel with world threatening implications…
