It’s October so everyone is looking for good horror movies to watch. It is one of my favorite genres and every now and then you find a nice under-the-radar horror movie that just gets the job done. The Hole in the Ground is just that. 

This was yet another film I watched during the marathon last weekend and I did watch this one with the family. Admittedly, watching a movie with others does effect how I feel about the movie. Especially in a home setting where reactions don’t need to be contained at all, you can discuss things you have questions about, and you can rewind if you miss something. All of the above took place during this film because there is a mystery, Irish accents, and scenes where things happen quickly. Let’s get into it. 

Elevator Review

The Hole in the Ground is a fun movie for sure. While this is a movie where the main character makes frustrating decisions, the payoff is still there. There are some effectively creepy moments and there is very little that is predictable. 

The Story

In the Hole in the Ground we have a story that starts out with a mother and son moving into a new town. The first creepy scene happens within the first few moments of the movie and is very reminiscent of the deer scene from Get Out. It sets the tone for what’s to come but things definitely get much creepier later in the film. 

When they do get to their new place we see that it’s fairly isolated and there is a large wooded area behind the house. We also see the hole very early in the movie and it is definitely weird. It is a gigantic sink hole and we are shown just how huge it is. Naturally you’d think this would be an issue for a woman with a curious young boy but you can just tell there’s something weird about this hole. 

The mother, Sarah, is played by Seana Kerslake (Can’t cope, won’t cope) and the son, Chris, by James Quinn Markey (Vikings). Chris is having a hard time settling into the move and Sarah is just hoping he adjusts in time. After we learn some key information about Chris he disappears for a moment. Sarah panics but when she goes to call the police he shows back up. Things had already been creepy but after this things get much weirder. 

Oh Sarah

If I had to nitpick I would definitely point out the amount of times Sarah made horror movie decisions. Whether it was taking her sweet time to do something or deciding to go into a clearly dangerous situation at all, Sarah was incredibly curious and took a lot of risks. 

In this case I think I accept it because she was in a bad situation no matter what she did. She isn’t sure if her son is really her son and that’s definitely not something she can just tell any random person and expect them not to try to have her committed. She also isn’t going to simply attack her son even if she thinks he’s not himself. While I hated her willingness to play this horror movie game, I could respect that she was willing to go to any lengths to save her son. 

There’s something about the mother and son dynamic in horror movies that really sticks with me. 

Mysterious Ending

Near the end of the movie, we find out what’s inside the hole and the payoff is great. However, it leaves us with a somewhat mysterious ending. I can’t say too much more without completely ruining the end but if you watch The Hole in the Ground you will be discussing that ending. 

Overall

I mention this almost any time I review a horror movie but reviews are hard to follow for this one. Critics love it to the tune of an 85% rating while the audience is split 50/50. I am not here to tell you that The Hole in the Ground is a horror masterpiece but as I mentioned above it does its job. 

There are creepy moments, an overarching sense of dread, and unpredictability at each turn. It’s a good movie night horror movie to watch with the family. 

You can currently find The Hole in the Ground on Amazon Prime video. 

-Bibs 

I say go in without the trailer but just in case you need a trailer in your life here you go.