Descent (Original NC-17 Version) [DVD]

It's hard to say I love this movie, but I really do enjoy it's purpose.This film is about a college student who gets raped by an at first charming jock, and her journey to find herself again even if that means an eye for an eye.1. I think the plot, Rosario's acting and the director's style perfectly showcase the struggle of what some people go through when trying to get themselves back after any kind of assault.2. The film is purposefully shot in low lighting during certain scenes to convey the 'descent' (if you will) into darkness. That horrible dark place you go during and often after a traumatic experience.3. The dialogue of this movie is not meant to be some type of deep Shakesperian drama, it is appropriate for the struggle of Rosario's character- how she perceives everyone around and vise versa.4. The 2 rape scenes in this movie altough kind of graphic, I think should be visited, it is something that happens often in society, almost always unsuspectingly and sometimes by someone we know or feel we can trust. I like that the movie explores this and think more people should watch this movie to better understand the damage that assualt inflicts on someone and the support that is needed.5. Pay attention to how many times Rosario's style changes throughout the movie, take into account her lack of care in personal health, her constant shifting personality- all excellent depicted signs of ones struggle to cope after trauma and psychological impact that has on a human being.Is this a movie you will pull out and watch again and again? Most likely not, but I would recommend watching (whether you are a Psych major or just curious).

Now I love my rape/revenge movies and after some hype about how 'brutal' and 'disturbing' this film was, I was expecting to be entertained. Unfortunately what we get in 'Descent' is pretentious arty crap masquerading as an exploitation movie and not even up to scratch with a serious drama approach such as 'Extremities' or 'The Accused'.Rosario Dawson is a good actress who I enjoyed in 'Clerks II' but her performance here is bland and boring, in line with the entire filming technique. The direction is flat and uninspired. Characterisation is terrible- Maya is given virtually no motivation or explanation for her drastic shifts in behaviour. The rapist Jared comes across initially as a decent guy then transforms for no reason into an obnoxious jock, who is thick as a brick and vacant-mouthed throughout the last half of the movie.After Maya is raped and graduates she meets some DJ and ends up in a stupid club which is supposed to be all 'edgy' but just looks like all those crap modern pornos filmed in a warehouse where all the swarthy greasy guys look like Rocco Siffredi and John Stagliano. Anyone who has seen these sort of adult films will know what I mean.These scenes go on forever with endless dancing, drugs, sex and racist/sexist gangsta rap crap but it's all bland. Of course one could be all academic and claim that it's Maya's reaction to her violation and a means of self-punishment or lack of self-worth but 'Descent' seems to want to satisfy both clichés that all women are sluts and all men are scumbags. The adult classic 'V-The Hot One' handled this theme far better with far more realistic and believable results. Just like 'Antichrist' though, if you present explicit sex and ooh taboo-breaking male nudity in an arty way, you can get away with X-rated scenes.By the end of the movie Maya gets her attacker handcuffed to a bed and has one of the degenerates from the club rape him. This prolonged homosexual rape goes on far too long and is no suitable closure at all. Jared's expression is one of 'whatever' and even the guy doing it doesn't seem to care either. Maya doesn't even watch.If you want to be disturbed, watch 'A Serbian Film'. If you want a decent rape/revenge movie there's far better out there which deliver the goods.This NC-17 edition is in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen, but the picture is very dark in places and there's a commentary, interviews and deleted scenes.

I don't know how Rosario Dawson does it. This is a true testament to what she will do for her craft. This film rips at the soul with how bluntly it presents the subject of rape. The first time I watched, I had to shut it off--I was so overwhelmed I just couldn't breathe. I had to go outside for some air, take 10 minutes to calm down, then try to watch again. For a couple of weeks, I just wasn't the same. You have to be careful with this film. Watching a purely uncensored, unedited rape can be really traumatizing if you're not emotionally prepared. Some people are upset about the quality of the film transfer, but in the special features, Lugacy makes it clear that certain scenes are SUPPOSED to be dark and gritty--can you imagine a scene like that thrown in full light and sharp resolution? It's horrifying in a way, but it really opens your eyes to the matter at hand. I'm glad the focus isn't solely on the event but on all that happens after a person is broken and the process of rebuilding that life.It's an amazing film for both men and women to see, just make sure you're prepared!