The Hole in the Ground

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Dan R 2019's 'The Hole in the Ground' is a well made B list horror film which has a number of original concepts. SYNOPSIS: 'A single mother living in the Irish countryside with her son begins to suspect he may not be her son at all, and fears his increasingly disturbing behavior is linked to a mysterious sinkhole in the forest behind their house.' This creepy Irish-Finnish co-production combines the usual jump scares with more modern concerns about the traumas of parenting in a way that freshens up this film. Those fears are well known to many of us. It bases itself more on tension and uncertainty than on gory shocks and the film's horror is never unbearable or grotesque. It's really cleverly done. An effective little chiller which needs more attention to it. 7/10 Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/12/24 Full Review Audience Member How did she get out of the hole?! Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/23/24 Full Review chitown2bayarea Good movie, creepy and entertaining. Definitely recommend it. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/19/24 Full Review Steven M Horror legend Stephen King has aptly described terror in its rawest forms, my favorite being: "Terror, when you come home and notice everything you own had been taken away and replaced by an exact substitute." However, what if the thing that was taken from your home was your own flesh and blood? The Hole in the Ground burrows this question into your psyche, and is born, grown, and flourished in this kind of visceral terror. This is a divisive movie, with critics and audiences at odds with their opinions on this UK film. I find myself siding with the critics with this one. More than its premise suggests, the internal pressure that grows within this movie is immense, tricking you before your very eyes from scene to scene. This deliberate confusion and trickery is weaponized to keep you guessing, hoping that your horror film detective skills are still sharp. Keeping the viewer in suspension is a mental and emotional threat. The acting is superb - particularly from Seana Kerslake, James Cosmo, and James Quinn Markey. The believable performances add a sense of realism and humanity where many movies like this fail - which can make or break a horror film in its first act. Along with this is the movie's brilliant set design, exemplifying the creeping isolation and helplessness apparent from its first act. Very limited on jumpscares, many of this movie's scares are cultivated through ambiguity and limited vision - always big points from me. The only thing that docks this film for me is its use of the "creepy old lady saying ominous things to kids" trope - a tired concept that did cause a brief eyeroll from me, even though Kati Outinen played slightly-cliched Noreen Brady with style and finesse. I am not grading this based on the original or groundbreaking qualities that some were hoping this would create. I don't believe that films in the horror genre need to be the next best thing since The Exorcist. A good horror movie needs to make you feel unsafe, alone, and wondering. Good work, The Hole in the Ground. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/24 Full Review Claudio G It's a week movie! Didn't explain anything! Suddenly it's all solved ! Terrible terrible Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/13/23 Full Review Griffith J Not much that is reinvented but mysterious & creepy enough to hold attention. An unoriginal yet solid premise but it never reaches its potential. Strong moments with eye-catching imagery & cinematography. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Hole in the Ground

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