“The Descent 2” is not a bad horror movie by the usual standards, it is only a bad movie in comparison to “The Descent.” Unfortunately that still means they shouldn't have made it, but still you can't really say they did a bad job- just a mediocre one.

The movie picks up right where the first one ended- the theatrical version, that is, not the alternative ending on the DVD. I thought the original ending was a clever variation on the usual horror-movie fake-out, where you think the main character has escaped only to find out otherwise at the last moment. “The Descent” changed that very tired cliché into a commentary on the psychological trauma the main character would have suffered, so she really does get away but is so damaged she keeps seeing the Crawlers anyway.

Giving her amnesia and then putting her back in the cave two days later, “The Descent 2” undercuts that entire point, and then proceeds to apply every Hollywood horror-movie cliché at the exact moment you would expect it to be applied. After a little while, any experienced horror-movie fan could easily predict what would happen next. The Crawlers are still creepy, the cave is still claustrophobic- but unlike in the first movie you are never surprised, and you never really care about any of the characters.

“The Descent” was one of the most intense and personal horror films I've ever seen, but the sequel is just a decent formula movie with some fairly cool monsters. If they're thinking of making a part 3, they should leave well enough alone.