The Cave *** (2005, Cole Hauser, Morris Chestnut, Lena Headey, Piper Perabo) – Classic Movie Review 1746

Divers stranded in in an underwater cave network confront scary, bloodthirsty creatures in director Bruce Hunt’s intense and gory 2005 low-budget chiller.

Dr Nicolai (Marcel Iures)’s scientific team are exploring the legend of the monster-fighting Knights Templar in Romania’s Carpathians when they discover a deep, flooded cave system. In order to explore it, he hires a crack team of divers, led by brothers Jack and Tyler McAllister (Cole Hauser, Eddie Cibrian). After an explosion traps them in the caves, they find a mysterious parasite that turns all species into carnivores, and later an independently evolved species of predator.

Properly claustrophobic and suspenseful, it is memorably tense and eerie. And it’s also quite well made, while the writing, acting by a good cast and creature effects are reasonably special. There are lots of these kinds of movies around, but this one does stick in the memory.

Morris Chestnut, Lena Headey and Piper Perabo star. Also in the cast are Rick Ravanello, Marcel Iures, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Daniel Dae Kim and Brian Steele.

The Cave is written by Michael Steinberg and Tegan West. Gary Lucchesi, Andrer, Mason, Michael Ohoven, Tom Rosenberg and Richard S Wright are among the ten credited producers! The special effects are by Fantasy II Luma and Patrick Tatopoulos.

It’s not too gory – rated PG-13 for intense creature violence – and not too low-budget either – it cost $30million.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1746

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