The Cave (2005)

Bloodthirsty creatures await a pack of divers who become trapped in an underwater cave network.

Director:

Bruce Hunt

Writers:

Michael Steinberg, Tegan West

Stars:

Piper Perabo, Morris Chestnut, Cole Hauser

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cole Hauser	...	Jack McAllister
Eddie Cibrian	...	Tyler McAllister
Morris Chestnut	...	Top Buchanan
Lena Headey	...	Dr. Kathryn Jennings
Piper Perabo	...	Charlie
Rick Ravanello	...	Briggs
Daniel Dae Kim	...	Alex Kim
Kieran Darcy-Smith	...	Strode
Marcel Iures	...	Dr. Nicolai
Vlad Radescu	...	Dr. Bacovia
Simon Kunz	...	Mike - Caver #1
David Kennedy	...	Ian - Caver #2
Alin Panc	...	Razvan - Caver #3
Zoltan Butuc	...	Corvin - Caver #4
Brian Steele	...	Creature Performer

Storyline

Decades after a rock church in communist Romania's Carpathians caved when an expedition caused a landslide and buried everyone, Dr. Nicolai's scientific team exploring the associated Templar Knights monster fighting-legend discovers a deep, flooded cave system and hires the brothers Jack and Tyler's brilliant divers team to explore it. Another explosion traps them, after finding a mysterious parasite turning all species carnivore, and later an independently evolved predator species. Jack may be infected and turning, but Tyler sticks with him, so the group splits, hunted by the monsters, which also fly.

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Plot Keywords:

diver | parasite | flare | diving | cave | 

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Taglines:

Beneath heaven lies hell, beneath hell lies...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense creature violence

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA Germany Romania

Language:

English Romanian

Release Date:

26 August 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Prime Evil

Filming Locations:

Zarnesti, Romania

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,147,294, 28 August 2005, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$15,007,991

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,288,466

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Gems, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Lakeshore Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 93 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the scenes at the beginning of the movie uses the same set as Underworld: Evolution

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Goofs

When Strode's DPV (diver propulsion vehicle) explodes, there is a fireball. DPVs are electric, so there is nothing to ignite into a gas-like explosion.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Kathryn: At first, I thought it couldn't survive outside of a cave environment. Now, I'm not sure. I think it wants to get out.

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Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: The Cavern (2012)

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Soundtracks

Nemo
Written by Tuomas Holopainen
Performed by Nightwish
Courtesy of Roadrunner Records, Nuclear Blast Records, Scene Nation Oy and Spinefarm Records

User Reviews

Into The Nether World

What differentiates "The Cave" from other horror films is the setting. The plot takes place mostly in a large cave, some of which is underwater.

By far, the best element of this film is the underground scenery. The sets are realistic, with spaces and formations that one might see in certain large caverns. And, the film nicely conveys a sense of vertical scale, as we watch cavers climb rock walls, and explore huge rooms with towering ceilings.

The problem here is that the film's director is so committed to an action plot that the camera rarely stays in one scene long enough for the viewer to have a sense of place. We thus forgo the thrill that an underground environment could provide. There's no feeling of amazement, no claustrophobia from tight crawlways, no real fear of any kind. The film's fast pace, combined with characters we barely know and care nothing about, thus dilutes the intended suspense.

The cinematography is flashy and very technical. The lighting is appropriately subdued with interesting colors and unusual camera angles. The background music is somewhat intrusive. Dialogue is weak. And the actors, who appear to be in their twenties, are all photogenic, straight out of central casting. The monsters, what we see of them, seem slightly hokey.

Overall, "The Cave" will appeal to viewers who like horror films set in unusual environments, wherein the pace is super fast, and there is a ton of action. Viewers looking for a credible story will need to exit the cave ... quickly.