Descent

Descent

Year: 2007

Runtime: 101 min

Language: English

Director: Talia Lugacy

DramaThriller

Seeking solace and healing, Dutch free diver Kiki Bosch undertakes a remarkable journey into the world's coldest waters without a wetsuit. This challenging dive represents a way for her to confront past traumas and inspire hope in others. Battling the extreme conditions and pushing her physical limits, she searches for redemption in the depths of the frozen sea, confronting her inner demons with each plunge.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Descent (2007)

Trace every key event in Descent (2007) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Winter party and first contact

Maya attends a fraternity party during the winter of her senior year and meets Jared, who woos her with smooth talk and a surface charm. She gradually agrees to dinner and they go to his apartment, where the evening seems promising until she asks him to stop and he reveals his true, abusive nature. The encounter ends with Jared's words turning cruel and the assault leaving Maya shocked and violated.

Winter of Maya's senior year Fraternity party and Jared's apartment
2

A year of transformation begins

Over the following year, Maya's personality shifts dramatically. She becomes quiet and withdrawn, completes college, and takes a job at a clothing store. She distances herself from friends and slides into depression and addiction, hiding a second life she keeps in the nightlife.

Over the next year College town
3

Nightlife alter ego emerges

By night, she inhabits a glamorous nightclub persona, dancing and using cocaine to cope with the trauma. This double life gives her a sense of control and escape she can't find in daylight. The club environment becomes a refuge and a place to reinvent herself.

Later that year Nightclub
4

Meeting the DJ Adrian

At a club she meets DJ Adrian, confides in him about the assault, and seeks guidance as she tries to navigate her trauma. He becomes a sympathetic listener who offers a different kind of support. Their interaction deepens as she leans on someone outside her day-to-day world.

Shortly after meeting Adrian Nightclub
5

Returning to Jared's orbit as a teacher's aide

Maya takes a job as a Teacher's Aide in a class that Jared attends, bringing her back into his everyday environment. The proximity allows her to orchestrate a confrontation on her terms. Her past trauma lingers as she plans her next move.

Sometime after meeting Adrian School
6

Catching Jared cheating

During a class or exam, Maya catches Jared cheating and, instead of reporting him publicly, uses the moment to lure him to her apartment. The setup marks the shift from observation to direct action. It becomes the catalyst for her calculated revenge.

One day School; Maya's apartment
7

Confrontation and restraint

In a planned confrontation at her apartment, Maya handcuffs Jared to the bed and blinds his eyes. A tense exchange unfolds as she speaks about the assault, and her emotions take over when he tries to console her. The moment shifts from confrontation to a darker turn as she gags him.

That night Maya's apartment
8

Turning point of revenge

The mood intensifies as Maya's distress gives way to a brutal assertion of control. She enacts revenge by forcing a non-consensual act on Jared, pushing past his protests. The act is depicted in a non-graphic way that underscores the power shift between them.

That same night Maya's apartment
9

Adrian joins the act

Adrian enters the scene and participates in a non-consensual assault on Jared, taunting him and echoing the slurs Jared had used. The dynamic becomes a shared act of retribution, complicating Maya's emotions and the power she wields.

That same night Maya's apartment
10

The aftermath of the assault on Jared

As the assault unfolds, Jared's body responds unexpectedly to the situation, and the act moves toward its conclusion with all three characters present. The sequence shifts from aggression to a tense paused moment as the participants settle into what has happened. The emotional stakes are high for Maya, Adrian, and Jared alike.

That same night Maya's apartment
11

Aftermath and confrontation of feelings

Adrian asks Maya if everything is alright, and she reacts with quiet tears of joy, a complex mix of relief and pain. The moment marks a morally ambiguous resolution to a night of violence. Their relationship dynamics are left unsettled as the scene lingers.

That same night Maya's apartment
12

End of the film

The screen fades to black as Maya's emotions settle into a ambiguous, unresolved state. The violence has occurred, but the film closes on her expression of sorrow and relief, leaving the audience with moral questions about justice and vengeance. The final image is of Maya, silent and contemplative.

Ending Maya's apartment

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58

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Descent Summary

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Descent Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Descent

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