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Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett, Nathan Gamble, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern

Genre legend Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins) delivers hair-raising 3D chills with this visually immersive shocker about a pair of young siblings who discover a mysterious bottomless pit in their typ... read more read more...ical suburban basement. Shortly after moving from New York City to the quiet community of Bensonville with their single mother (Teri Polo), 17-year-old Dane (Chris Massoglia) and his ten-year-old brother, Lucas (Nathan Gamble), stumble across a locked trap door on their basement floor. Together with their new neighbor Julie (Haley Bennett), the two curious boys conduct a sequence of experiments in hopes of finding out exactly how deep the hole is, and what lies at the bottom. Later, just as the three youngsters begin to suspect that the hole reaches directly into infinity, a series of bizarre occurrences leave them convinced that something in the darkness has been waiting to escape, and that in order to defeat it they will have to face their greatest fears. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

48% liked it

7,164 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

23 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Joe Dante

Release Date: October 31, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (689)

  • JonathanHutchings
    October 8, 2011
    JonathanHutchings
    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. T... read morehe 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.
  • kenstachnik
    June 30, 2011
    kenstachnik
    Strong start, weak finish.
  • Deano78
    June 2, 2011
    Deano78
    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. The... read morey 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.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 16, 2011
    kiriyamakazou
    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 th... read moreis. 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.
  • MrMarakai
    January 26, 2011
    MrMarakai
    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... read more" 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.
  • Junnerayemalinao2012
    October 31, 2011
    Junnerayemalinao2012
    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.
  • danieljparsons
    January 19, 2011
    danieljparsons
    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... read more have opened it: absent fathers, dead girls, and (in one especially scary sequence that riffs gently from Poltergeist) 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.
  • Doctor0Quinzel
    January 17, 2011
    Doctor0Quinzel
    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.
  • John2223
    October 11, 2010
    John2223
    "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!!
  • ParanormalDreamz
    January 4, 2011
    ParanormalDreamz
    I enjoyed this movie. It was really creepy! I don't reccomend it for kids under 13. I think it would be too scary for them.

View All The Hole Reviews

Critic Reviews

Thomas Caldwell
October 5, 2011
Thomas Caldwell, Cinema Autopsy

A fun kids horror film that may be a minor work for Dante, but still very satisfying. Full Review

James O'Ehley
October 18, 2010
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page

Will be instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up watching movies in the 1980s! Full Review

September 29, 2010
Film4

This is scary, thrilling stuff, especially considering there's very little actual violence or gore. Full Review

Derek Malcolm
September 29, 2010
Derek Malcolm, This is London

The return of director Joe Dante would be more welcome if his children's horror-thriller weren't so tepid. Full Review

Rich Cline
September 29, 2010
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

Director Dante knows a thing or two about making teen thrillers, and this film gets the atmosphere just right without indulging in cheap movie gimmicks. Full Review

Robbie Collin
September 29, 2010
Robbie Collin, News of the World

Scarier than any of this year's 18-rated horror crop. Full Review

Allan Hunter
September 27, 2010
Allan Hunter, Daily Express

Scary fun for young teens. Full Review

Alistair Harkness
September 27, 2010
Alistair Harkness, Scotsman

With the 1980s increasingly looking like a golden age for live-action family blockbusters, Joe Dante, the decade's most subversive practitioner of the form, makes a welcome return... Full Review

Marc Lee
September 23, 2010
Marc Lee, Daily Telegraph

Dante delivers some terrific spine-tingling chills on the way towards a disappointingly overblown climax. Full Review

Peter Bradshaw
September 23, 2010
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

It's the kind of knockabout, kid's-eye-view comedy-horror that hasn't been made for a while, with some nasty, frightening touches, but expertly encased in a distinctive family-movie aesthetic. Full Review

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