The Hole (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jonathan H

  
  I was fortunate enough to catch the US world premiere of The Hole last night at The Castro Theater in San Francisco. After winning some accolades at TIFF 2009, the film failed to get a distribution deal and has basically been sitting on the shelf ever since -- which is a shame. The… More
  I was fortunate enough to catch the US world premiere of The Hole last night at The Castro Theater in San Francisco. After winning some accolades at TIFF 2009, the film failed to get a distribution deal and has basically been sitting on the shelf ever since -- which is a shame. The Hole represents a return to form for Joe Dante, who is the personification of a great genre director. Like so many, he broke into the business working under Roger Corman and his career trajectory has been very reminiscent: no classics, but a string of entertaining, creative and (if you know where to look) compelling films. The Hole would have probably been awful if Dante weren't directing. He takes a pedestrian horror plot and gets so much out of it, thanks to his smart compositions, creative production design, and his ability to weave horror and comedy together seamlessly. Always ahead of the curve, Dante decided to shoot the film in 3D well before its resurgence, and he utilizes it very effectively -- concentrating on providing depth and texture to the environments and enriching the camera blocking he's famous for. The film definitely sputters towards the end, but The Hole is worth watching (if you're able to find it). It serves as a great example/reminder as to why Joe Dante is a genre legend.

• Ken S

  
  Strong start, weak finish.

• Dean !

  
  Hard to think of this as a horror as it's a 12a (PG13), however I can see why as it is quite creepy and wouldn't be suitable for younger kids! An intriguing hole in the basement of a new house just has to be checked out by the young brothers, aided by the cute girl next… More
  Hard to think of this as a horror as it's a 12a (PG13), however I can see why as it is quite creepy and wouldn't be suitable for younger kids! An intriguing hole in the basement of a new house just has to be checked out by the young brothers, aided by the cute girl next door. They get a lot more than they bargained for when they decide to take the locks off and open the door. It felt a bit like the 'Burbs/Disturbia, crossed with the Messengers. Which is no bad thing as they are all good films. It has some nice touches, set design and the young actors do a pretty good job. For those who like stronger horror don't be put off by the film rating.

• Luke B

  
  Hail the return of Joe Dante. He never makes classic movies, but he does make favorites. I love Small Soldiers and Gremlins. Dante has a rather cruel sense of humor, which makes him perfect for directing kids movies. All kids are a little weird, but not enough films play up to this. I… More
  Hail the return of Joe Dante. He never makes classic movies, but he does make favorites. I love Small Soldiers and Gremlins. Dante has a rather cruel sense of humor, which makes him perfect for directing kids movies. All kids are a little weird, but not enough films play up to this. I grew up with Goosebump books, Are You Afraid of the Dark on TV, and Tim Burton movies. Kids like to be scared, and here is a horror I would gladly sit any child in front of. It's quite sweet how outdated Dante and the writer seem to be. Even the insult "dickhead" is still muttered in this universe. Once the hole is discovered it's pretty much non-stop. A lot of it creeped me out, with clown puppets and little girls bleeding. Dante uses a mixture of effects to his advantage, before going all out CGI for the inevitable climax. The Hole is a film for kids that liks scary stories and monsters, without traumatizing them.

• Mark W

  
  Is there any other director that can capture the adventurous imagination (Spielberg being a notable exception) like director Joe Dante? Done with the same awe and lighthearted feel that he brought with "InnerSpace", "Explorers" & "Gremlins" and… More
  Is there any other director that can capture the adventurous imagination (Spielberg being a notable exception) like director Joe Dante? Done with the same awe and lighthearted feel that he brought with "InnerSpace", "Explorers" & "Gremlins" and there's even a shade of "The 'Burbs" thrown in. Doctor Susan (Teri Polo) uproots her two children, teen Dane (Chris Massoglia) and younger brother Lucas (Nathan Gamble), to that old cinematic staple, the small American town. Soon the kids, joined by literal gal-next-door Julie (Hayley Bennett), discover a bolted-up trapdoor in the basement, exposing a hole that's seemingly endless and taps into each persons personal fears. The master of the modern B-movie returns after a long hiatus and he hasn't lost his touch, showing the same enthusiasm and tension we are used to from him. Much of the film is based on the relationships of the three young characters, rather than taking the most obvious root of diving straight into the action. When the action does happen, it's impressively done, but unfortunately you can tell that it was intended to be viewed in 3D. On 2D it doesn't have the same impact and this will probably be a common problem with films that rely heavily on that format. Nonetheless, it's a well handled light horror that will appeal to all the family. If your a fan of Dante's earlier B-movie suburban adventure yarns, then you'll find loads to enjoy with this recent addition, and just incase you're wondering, the answer is...yes. Dick Miller does make his usual cameo appearance for the director.

• August S

  
  Creative, spooky and most of the parts, believable. I thought this is going to be another corny attempt on a fun adventure thrill ride for youngsters though I'm surprised to see that it is for everyone and it does deliver the fun and adventure in style and scares.

• Daniel P

  
  A largely successful 'teen horror' actually suitable for the family (well, I'd say 10 and over). Joe Dante is a cine-literate, clever man who knows what he is doing and does it without preaching, and clearly likes his audience. The titular hole brings forth the fears of… More
  A largely successful 'teen horror' actually suitable for the family (well, I'd say 10 and over). Joe Dante is a cine-literate, clever man who knows what he is doing and does it without preaching, and clearly likes his audience. The titular hole brings forth the fears of those who have opened it: absent fathers, dead girls, and (in one especially scary sequence that riffs gently from <i>Poltergeist</i>) clown puppets. There's a few 'dickhead's, 'piss off's and one moment of brief but memorable gore that shows Dante and the writers won't pull their punches, and some ingenuity in the use of space and a clever finale involving false perspectives. If there's one thing that lets it down it's that the actors - though very good - don't always seem *that* scared about what is happening to them, and so some of the jeopardy is lost as a result. But overall this is a solid, clever, funny and sometimes scary flick.

• Marion R

  
  I liked it enough. There were a couple of creepy elements, and this is a horror that is aimed towards children. If I were younger I would have found this film too scary.

• John M

  
  "The Hole" is a good horror family movie with a simple plot and a great cast of young actors. The atmospehere of the movie it's good and you have entertainment and some fun, with some good scares and spooky moments. Perfect scares for the young/adult horror fan!!

Read all 9 featured audience ratings