Product Description

Maya (Rosario Dawson) is like many other college coeds, booksmart yet shy, curious about sex, yet scared to let herself go. One night she meets Jared (played by Chad Faust). When their courtship turns from romantic to horrific in a single violent act, Maya's world is ripped inside-out. Shutting out everyone in her life, Maya loses herself to a dark throbbing underworld of experimentation. Lured by club DJ Adrian (Marcus Patrick), she awakens to a cold and vicious new strength. But will Maya's downward spiral consume and destroy her - or will she be saved by its power? (Edited R-Rated version also availble on DVD).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5762 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-02-05
• Rating: NC-17
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 104 minutes

Review
Dawson's Intricate, Imaginative Performance Equals those of Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver and Hillary Swank in Boys Don't CryEssential to See! --Matt Zoller Seitz, The New York Times

Review
A Masterpiece of Shock Cinema! --moviepicture.com

Review
Incredibly Engrossing, Well Written and Intense. --Stephen Hill, BET

Customer Reviews

"Extremities" Pt. 2
Similar to the aforementioned film, this story follows a protagonist's "descent" into a moral abyss following rape. Unlike "Extremities" -- which occurs over the course of one day after the rapist tracks down his victim -- "Descent" uses jarring time jumps without really delving into the main character's decay. Dawson gives a strong performance, but the script, pacing, and sketchy motivation of characters detract greatly from the movie's intended power.

Hard to review...even harder to watch
Not to be confused with The Descent (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (which I loved, by the way!), this film focuses on the trials and tribulations of college coed, Maya, and how her life is affected after being raped. The movie made me quite uncomfortable in a couple of spots, so I guess it succeeded in that aspect. But after a certain point, I just said "enough is enough". I am not a woman and have no idea how a woman would feel after such an ordeal and this movie did not make me any more empathetic. It did, however, make me feel like I was watching something I shouldn't be. Watch the film if you must, but be prepared to squirm and then take a shower afterwards..

A gritty look at rape and revenge
Mya (Rosario Dawson) is a somewhat reclusive college student who doesn't really have interaction with many men. She's so reserved that her parents have begun to worry about her. At one early point in the movie it appears that Mya may even have some thoughts of exploring homosexuality.

I can't go further without mentioning the fact that Rosario Dawson is compelling in her performance, morphing from innocent to wrecked, and eventually to psycho-sexual yet confused strength.

Anyway, Jared is a goofy looking, cookie eating, frat-boy with stalker tendencies. He has an atrociously borderline mullet, the skull structure reminiscent of a sketch after an alien abduction, the most horribly pretentious pickup lines in history, advances more awkward than a WNBA player walking in high-heels, and an agenda so obvious that it can be from Jupiter.

It's only a matter of time before Jared's polished routine manages to convince a naïve Mya into the frat's basement. How she didn't perceive his creepiness, which jumped off the screen the minute his opening credits rolled, is beyond me. However, he was somehow seductive enough to get her to engage in some kissing. When Mya wanted it to end, Jared didn't, and he raped her. Many may feel the scene is somewhat weak, or not brutal enough for a rape scene, but it's quite possible for someone to simply go catatonic during a traumatic experience, and there is a point at which even the strongest mind gives up fighting.

Afterwards Mya is psychologically destroyed, going throughout her graduation and daily life like Jodie Foster from Nell. At night, however, she's the polar opposite, and looking for satisfaction, understanding, and healing through alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity. In this lifestyle, she begins to take pleasure dominating others - mentally, physically, and sexually.

It is only when she has gained full control of her emotions that she can trule overcome her anguish, gain her inner strength, and find the resolution for which she's been searching. The final chilling sequence is jaw-dropping, and I didn't know whether to cheer or gasp. It's truly risque, and challenges the viewer to decide whether the old "eye for an eye" adage has any merit.