The Hole in the Ground

In this creepy Irish-Finnish co-production, that fear combines with more modern concerns about the traumas of parenting in a way that freshens up the soil.

The Hole in the Ground is filled with all the tropes of the "sinister child" subgenre, but first-time feature director Cronin... deftly weds it with the same rural Gothic sensibilities that have made Irish horror such a vibrant and unsettling scene.

Well-edited set pieces... this gave me the creeps.

Cronin shoots like a veteran, with buckets of Hollywood style. It's just not, in the nicest possible way, very original.

Sarah and her sort-of boy prove hard to shake off. Don't be surprised if weeks after you see this they grope their way into your dreams.

The Hole in the Ground never seeks to differentiate itself from the established horror movie aesthetic: we get creepy jangling lullaby music, a decrepitly old hooded women mumbling to herself ominously, bare feet on creaking wooden floors, broken mirrors.

With some genuinely terrifying imagery and set design and moments that definitely speak to our mental fragility and awareness of who we think we know best, The Hole in the Ground strikes a nerve. It’s a hidden gem.

The Irish countryside of course helps strengthen the cinematography with the stunning landscapes and rich gritty textures, but in saying that the film isn't without its issues.

It's a muddled grab bag of ideas that never coalesces into a coherent scare-fest.

The Hole in the Ground redeems itself with a chilling, heartbeat rising third act. [Full review in Spanish]