Caved In (2006) (TV)

User Rating:

3.5/10   

Director:

Richard Pepin

Writers:

Michael Konyves (writer) and
Neil Elman (writer)

Release Date:

7 January 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The ultimate threat. The gravest danger. Hidden in the earth.

Plot:

Disguised as extreme adventurers, a group of high profile thieves unknowingly lead a group of wealthy tourists on an expedition through an abandoned salt mine that is guarded by ancient creatures.

Plot Keywords:

Elevator Shaft | Evisceration | Impalement | Giant Insect | Stabbed In The Hand

Cast

Christopher Atkins	...	John Palmer
Colm Meaney	...	Vincent
Angela Featherstone	...	Samantha Palmer
Monica Barladeanu	...	Sophie (as Monica Birladeanu)
David Palffy	...	Marcel
Chelan Simmons	...	Emily Palmer
Stevie Mitchell	...	Miles Palmer
Marius Chivu	...	Hanz
Cristian Popa	...	Stephan
Vlad Jipa	...	Carlo (as Tudor Vlad Jipa)
Razvan Popa	...	Muller
Marius Capota	...	Ion
Dan Sandulescu	...	Luciano
Adrian Pintea	...	Supervisor Frisch

Also Known As:

Caved In: Prehistoric Terror (USA) (long title)

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence and gore.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:MA | USA:R (certificate #41877)

Filming Locations:

Kentauros Studios, Bucharest, Romania

Company:

CineTel Pictures

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the spelunkers are going through the "egg chamber", a giant "queen beetle" shows up, and it's suggested that killing the queen will throw the nest into chaos. The problem with this is that queens only appear among social insects, such as ants, termites, bees and wasps. Beetles are scavengers, not social, and even the isolation suggested in this movie would not produce a queen-based communal structure. Scavengers compete for food; they do not co-operate.

Quotes:

John Palmer: Are you seeing what I'm seeing? Your plan isn't just falling apart, it's being ripped apart! By giant bugs!

Just plain ridiculous

I see the beginning of a beautiful friendship: sci-fi recipe films and cheap Romanian actors and studios. I actually watched this to see what Romanian actors would do and, unfortunately, they all did horribly. I can't really say that Monica Barladeanu played badly, given that the scenes with her were either she looking beautiful, looking interested and nodding to what a guy is saying, either screaming. Marius Chivu wasn't completely awful either. Colm Meaney was his usual self, demoted from starship engineer to silly bad guy, while everybody else just played stupid, unrealistic roles and stinking at it.

OK, the plot: giant bugs live underground, but they only get out when Americans come near the cave. It's a natural mutation that occurred somewhere in ancient Egypt, so maybe they are attracted to Jews, not Americans. Anyway, these smart bugs realized that living individually, having a normal size and eating dung is not a good way of life, therefore they elected a queen, covered her in expensive jewelry and proceeded on obeying her every command. Come on! There is no plot! Giant bugs, stupid weapons, women screaming, some entrails and blood, bugs stick together for the explosive finale, the end.

Conclusion: not even cult status bad. It's a mediocre type of film, the kind of movie where all extras are Romanian, but have German or French names for whatever reason. Stay away from it.