Entertainment (Commonwealth Union) _ Cave exploration films are arguably one of the best forms of horror. Most horror films are punctuated with blood, gore, and killers; jump scares; and evil spirits that watch you from across hallways, if we’re talking about horror. Cave exploration films, on the other hand, seem to weaponise silence and dark, extremely narrow rock formations, suffocating you with a slow build-up of anxiety. Despite this sounding like an extremely unpleasant experience, horror films are unquestionably everyone’s guilty pleasure. So here is a list of 8 cave exploration films that will give you more nightmares than haunted houses ever will.
- The Last Descent (2016)
From the outset, The Last Descent stands out as one of the most terrifying films, primarily because it is based on an actual event. The film is based on the failed attempt to rescue John Edward Jones, who became stuck upside down inside Nutty Putty Cave in 2009, making it the ultimate face of horror for those with claustrophobic tendencies. So, it is recommended to carefully consider before diving into it.
- The Descent (2005)
Unlike the previous film, The Descent centres on Sarah, a woman venturing into the Appalachian Mountains for cave exploration. Featuring a cave-in and humanoid inhabitants, the film perfectly captures the essence of suspenseful horror as Sarah hopelessly attempts to escape the cave, to no avail.
- As Above, So Below (2014)
Set in the Paris Catacombs, the film is a found-footage horror about a scholar on the hunt for the philosopher’s stone. With clear references to Dante’s Inferno, the film is an interesting weave of mythology, religion, and history, making it worthy of the horror genre.
- The Cave (2005)
With a few more action sequences than a regular horror film, the film is set in an underground cave system filled with water-ridden passageways. With a whole team fully equipped with diving gear, the exploration goes south with a cave collapse, and the only way out is the other end of the cave. What makes the film interesting is the completely unique ecosystem that has developed within the cave.
- 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)
A film where cave exploration meets shark attack, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, is based on a few teenagers who go scuba diving in an ancient Mayan city. In typical teenage fashion, they make a few fumbles, unleashing an entire shiver of sharks who had been trapped for centuries. With a lot of tension and bad decisions, this movie is horror in the most refreshing and real ways possible.
- The Pyramid (2014)
The perfect film for those of you who appreciate both horror and Egyptian mythology, The Pyramid is quite obviously centred around an archaeological team headed by a father-daughter duo. The film features a lost pyramid beneath the desert’s surface, and its suspenseful and claustrophobic elements make it a captivating horror film.
- Black Water: Abyss (2020)
A group of friends who explore a remote cave system in Australia should be enough to set off alarm bells inside your head. The movie, while delivering horror in the form of a giant crocodile and tense moments, appears to be saved by the relatively smart decision-making skills of the characters.
- Sanctum (2011)
Inspired by a 1988 incident that saw a group of cave divers trapped inside the Nullarbor Plain underwater cave systems, Santum puts together an unhealthy mix of cave diving veterans and inexperienced explorers. With various issues ranging from natural disasters to conflicts within the group, the film is an action thriller 3D film that presents horror in a realistic sense.
