Taking place at a private British prep school, a group of rich kids decide it would be a fun idea to go and hide out in an abandoned bomb shelter to escape a field trip - party for a few days away from everybody, and have an all around good time. Among them are hesitant Liz (Thora Birch), her crush, Mike (Desmond Harrington), Geoff (Laurence Fox), and his girlfriend, the wild Frankie (Keira Knightely). But their little "vacation" from the world turns into a nightmare when the four of them become locked inside with no way of escaping, and each of them begin to turn on each other in desperation and hysteria.
Quite different from your typical teenage thrillers (and a lot more intense), "The Hole" is a little British movie that doesn't seem to have gotten much attention, at least here in the United States, despite some of the core characters being played by American actors (most notably Birch). The movie's premise is essentially the entire cabin fever-sort of scenario, placing a group of snobby, manipulative teenagers in a confined underground bunker, and lets them loose as they struggle for survival. This idea has been done before, but the characters/actors and the setting in this film alone make it stand apart from the bunch.
The casting is probably the strongest point here. We've got the wonderful Thora Birch ("American Beauty") leading the film, Desmond Harrington ("Ghost Ship", "Wrong Turn") playing her romantic interest, and a quite young Keira Knightely playing a wild party girl. Embeth Davitdz also is worth noting, playing a detective trying to solve the horrible aftermath of what occurred in the bunker. Overall, the acting is really refined here and even the young performers are believable (I wouldn't be surprised if was was the film to initially get Keira Knightely out in the spotlight).
Aside from the solid acting, there's the claustrophobia factor, and the damp, cold atmosphere that emanates from each scene within the old bunker. A non-linear time line is used here, which switches between current time and flashbacks - the flashbacks being the recounting of what happened in the hole from when the idea was first initiated, to when the underground bunker became a bloodbath. The transitions here were a little confusing at times, which was a problem for me, the placement of them at times made the film seem a little choppy. I will admit, however, it does keep you guessing as to what the real truth of the matter is, which is definitely a good thing.
I'd also like to note that this movie is not what it may appear to be- it's much more of a psychological thriller than flat out horror, so that may be a disappointment to some horror fans. If you're expecting some sort of slasher flick, steer clear of this one. I, however, love psychological thrillers, so this was enjoyable to me. The film's conclusion is probably the biggest punch in the gut, and its revelations are nonetheless nihilistic and savage - it's not a film that ends on a happy note by any means.
Overall, "The Hole" is a dark, cruel thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. It's surely not your typical teenage-thriller, and I applaud it for that. It's a film that adults and teenagers can enjoy equally, whilst most of the teen thrillers on the market today lack intelligence and diversity. The plot is smart and the story's presentation is harrowing and engaging. My only real complaint is the transitioning here, but otherwise, this is a solid thriller. Definitely recommended if you can get your hands on it, it seems to be a little difficult to find here in the States, despite its DVD release. 7/10.
Quite different from your typical teenage thrillers (and a lot more intense), "The Hole" is a little British movie that doesn't seem to have gotten much attention, at least here in the United States, despite some of the core characters being played by American actors (most notably Birch). The movie's premise is essentially the entire cabin fever-sort of scenario, placing a group of snobby, manipulative teenagers in a confined underground bunker, and lets them loose as they struggle for survival. This idea has been done before, but the characters/actors and the setting in this film alone make it stand apart from the bunch.
The casting is probably the strongest point here. We've got the wonderful Thora Birch ("American Beauty") leading the film, Desmond Harrington ("Ghost Ship", "Wrong Turn") playing her romantic interest, and a quite young Keira Knightely playing a wild party girl. Embeth Davitdz also is worth noting, playing a detective trying to solve the horrible aftermath of what occurred in the bunker. Overall, the acting is really refined here and even the young performers are believable (I wouldn't be surprised if was was the film to initially get Keira Knightely out in the spotlight).
Aside from the solid acting, there's the claustrophobia factor, and the damp, cold atmosphere that emanates from each scene within the old bunker. A non-linear time line is used here, which switches between current time and flashbacks - the flashbacks being the recounting of what happened in the hole from when the idea was first initiated, to when the underground bunker became a bloodbath. The transitions here were a little confusing at times, which was a problem for me, the placement of them at times made the film seem a little choppy. I will admit, however, it does keep you guessing as to what the real truth of the matter is, which is definitely a good thing.
I'd also like to note that this movie is not what it may appear to be- it's much more of a psychological thriller than flat out horror, so that may be a disappointment to some horror fans. If you're expecting some sort of slasher flick, steer clear of this one. I, however, love psychological thrillers, so this was enjoyable to me. The film's conclusion is probably the biggest punch in the gut, and its revelations are nonetheless nihilistic and savage - it's not a film that ends on a happy note by any means.
Overall, "The Hole" is a dark, cruel thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. It's surely not your typical teenage-thriller, and I applaud it for that. It's a film that adults and teenagers can enjoy equally, whilst most of the teen thrillers on the market today lack intelligence and diversity. The plot is smart and the story's presentation is harrowing and engaging. My only real complaint is the transitioning here, but otherwise, this is a solid thriller. Definitely recommended if you can get your hands on it, it seems to be a little difficult to find here in the States, despite its DVD release. 7/10.