The Horrifying True Story Thriller Guaranteed To Give You Claustrophobia, Stream Without Netflix
Many true-story thrillers tell the tale of human explorers who have encountered something terrifying or otherworldly, resulting in a shocking and unsettling final outcome. In 2016, a group of Indie filmmakers convened to craft the movie The Last Descent, which tells the heartbreaking tale of a real cave explorer who tragically died in the most claustrophobic way possible. The film has a shockingly high production quality, and a few stand-out performances, despite spending almost all of its runtime crammed within an impossibly tight confined space.
The Last Descent Is Based On A Terrifying True Story
The Last Descent follows 26-year-old med student and prolific caver John Jones, as he explores the Nutty Putty Cave in 2009. The cave served as a common exploration spot to many experienced cavers, and even a few Boy Scout troops, and was characterized by its tight passages which require some extremely claustrophobic navigation abilities. Nutty Putty was temporarily shut down in 2006 after several individuals became trapped in the tight caverns, requiring extensive rescue efforts to pull them out.
An 18-Inch Hole And One Mistake
Despite these incidents, nobody had ever suffered any serious or fatal injuries within Nutty Putty by 2009, prompting the cave to reopen to those with special authorization. John and his brother Josh received this authorization, before setting off on their adventure in The Last Descent. Unfortunately, while searching for a particularly narrow section of the cave known as the Birth Canal, John mistakenly became lost and slipped into an 18-inch passageway completely upside down.
Tragic But Uplifting
Realizing that John is completely stuck in this passageway, Josh leaves the cave to get help from rescue workers, including Susie, the perpetually optimistic caving expert, and Aaron, the rescue team leader traumatized by having recently lost another explorer. Just as the true events unfolded in real life, The Last Descent showcases the rescue crew as they try to save John, who remains trapped upside down, unable to move, for over 24 hours. Eventually, the strain placed upon John’s body leads him to cardiac arrest, and he dies in the cave, leaving behind a pregnant wife and a young daughter.
Low-Budget Film That Exceeded Expectations
The tragic tale resulted in Nutty Putty Cave being destroyed and closed to the public permanently, with Jones’ body still entombed inside. The Last Descent was written and directed by Isaac Halasima, who has notably helmed a number of Imagine Dragons music videos, as well as a long-running stand-up comedy series titled Dry Bar Comedy. The film features performances from talented but lesser-known actors such as Chadwick Hopson, Jyllian Petrie, and Landon Henneman, who offer surprisingly multi-layered characters given the bleak subject matter.
A Social Media Sensation
The story of Nutty Putty Cave and The Last Descent has become something of a spectacle in recent years, occasionally making the rounds on viral platforms such as TikTok and Reddit, due to the highly uncomfortable nature of John Jones’ final hours. The film is currently available to stream on a myriad of platforms, including subscription services such as Peacock and Amazon Prime Video, as well as free movie platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel. If you’re fascinated by the morbid story, be sure to check out the film today, just be sure to open a few windows for some fresh air first.
