With “The Cave,” director Bruce Hunt presents filmgoers with yet another exercise in horror movie mediocrity – the kind of junk studios have been turning out ever since “Alien” scared the pants off people way back in 1979. The main difference between “Alien” and “The Cave,” however, is that “Alien” was a genuinely creepy and well-conceived film.

The plot of “The Cave” centers around a group of explorers who discover an ancient cave only to find out the members of an expedition many years earlier were trapped far below.

When the new group of cave divers travels to its dark depths, creatures that can only be described as flying bat monkeys make for a somewhat intriguing plot.

Unfortunately, any twists or interest the concept may generate are completely hobbled by a cast of D-list actors including “Pitch Black” alumnus Cole Hauser and that annoying chick from “Coyote Ugly,” as well as director Bruce Hunt’s non-existent sense of pacing.

The first half of the film seems drawn out, while the action building up the climax falls far short of its potential. The dialogue is equally atrocious and not a single one of the huge cast of characters is developed to the point where you care if they become bat-monkey bait.

Any seasoned viewer of these “bug-hunt style” films will know exactly what to expect from “The Cave” – slimy creatures crawling around in the dark, idiotic humans running around screaming in dimly lit, confined environments and plenty of moments designed to make you jump out of your seat.

Regrettably, the actual scares are few and far between, and a PG-13 rating, which has effectively killed many a modern horror film, doesn’t allow for the requisite level of over-the-top gore and gross-out footage that was once the bread and butter of the genre. “The Cave” tries its hardest to be a conglomeration of “Alien,” “Species” and “Sphere,” but sadly comes off as a watered down, direct-to-video imitation.

All in all, “The Cave” is nothing more than a case of a movie studio playing it safe and sticking to an overdone formula they believe works.

Although it would seem a horror film based in a dark, watery cave would have the potential to be absolutely terrifying because of its claustrophobic nature, the truth is there isn’t one scene in the entire film that makes effective use of the surroundings.

This fact, combined with an ending that can only be described as highly unsatisfying, makes for a less-than-worthwhile viewing experience.

Overall, “The Cave” is one hole in the ground that should have been left unexplored.

RATING: 1/5

“The Cave (2005)”

Sony Pictures

Director: Bruce Hunt

Starring: Cole Hauser, Piper Perabo

Length: 97 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense creature violence