THE HOLE

US, 2009, 98 minutes, Colour.
Chris Massoglia, Nathan Gamble, Haley Bennett, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern.
Directed by Joe Dante.

The Hole is a horror film for older children and adolescents filmed by Joe Dante who made such an impact with his Gremlins films in the 1980s as well as such films as Matinee and Arachnophobia.

The film has echoes of the Amityville stories. A family moves to the country and the children are bored. The older brother is attracted by a girl in the town, the younger brother starts exploring the basement. What happens is that a hole is discovered, the children explore it with the help of the girl next door – and strange powers emerge out of the hole which draw the children into it enabling them to face their fears, especially about their father and relationships.

While the story has this serious basis, it is played for excitement as well as touches of horror, especially with the 3D effects.

Terry Polo is the mother, the young Nathan Gamble is the younger brother (aged ten at the film’s making, he had already appeared in such films as The Mist, Marley and Me and The Dark Knight). The older brother is played by Chris Massoglia (less than charismatic in the family horror film, Aliens in the Attic). Bruce Dern appears in a sinister role.

The film is well crafted, has an appeal for younger audiences rather than older audiences.

1.A teenage scary movie? The target audiences? For adults?

2.The quiet town, homes, the diners, the sinister basement?

3.The 3D, the effects, the hole itself, the creatures, the battles, scares?

4.The musical score and the mood?

5.The introduction to the family, the mystery of the absent father, their having to move, Dane and his grumpiness, taking it out on Lucas? The mother, her decision to move?

6.The new home, moving in and unpacking, Julie next door, the boys going down to the basement, their bickering, the discovery of the hole, the locks, testing the depths, not hearing any end to the hole? The visuals of the camera going through the hole?

7.Susan, getting a new job, her appeal to the boys to behave, bringing the friend home for a meal? The truth about her husband? Dane and his wariness about the friend?

8.Julie, pleasant, friendly, her girlfriends, flirting with Dane? Seeing the hole, the puzzle?

9.The absent father, jail? The note? The real father, the fantasy father? As a character, the confrontation with Dane?

10.The drama of Lucas and fears, Dane and fears? The father, the monster, the confrontation, floating in the hole, the fight, the father’s fall? The effect?

11.Julie and Lucas watching? Their fears?

12.The happy ending, the moral of the story – acknowledging one’s fears and overcoming them?