Described as 'superbly scary' and a "chilling domestic horror." It's now on Netflix.
With the end of the year quickly approaching, the usual 'best of' lists are bound to make an appearance and 2019 was something of a mixed bag for horror.
Films like Midsommar, Us, Ready Or Not, Crawl, and Doctor Sleep all delivered on different levels, but over the last 12 months, The Hole In the Ground could be classified as the breakout hit of the genre.
The film marks the feature-length debut of Irish director Lee Cronin and it features an incredible performance from Seána Kerslake (A Date For Mad Mary, Can't Cope, Won't Cope).
In terms of the plot, the story revolves around single mother Sarah (Kerslake) as she tries to start anew, moving to a rundown house on the edges of a small town near an expansive forest.
She and her young son Chris (a very impressive James Quinn Markey) are settling in well enough, until one night Chris goes missing in the woods. When Sarah eventually finds him, he no longer seems to be the same energetic, bright-eyed boy he once was, and Sarah takes it upon herself to find out what happened to him in those woods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKSPwNb_n3Y
For horror fans, there's a creepy kid, creepy house, creepy forest, as well as a creepy neighbour, but what's clever about the film is how it takes these classic tropes of the genre and makes them feel fresh.
At present, the film has an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and in his review, JOE's Rory Cashin called it "the best Irish horror movie ever made." He's not the only journalist to be impressed by The Hole in The Ground.
The Guardian - "A film operating at a suspenseful, spider-like creep that allows it to skirt your defences and get some distance under the skin."
Collider - "A simple, sinister film that really digs its claws in, not because of ultra-violent set pieces but rather because the connection between mother and son is so strong. An excellent feature debut for Lee Cronin."
Entertainment Weekly - "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."
LA Times - "This is an impressive feature debut for a filmmaker with more in mind than just monsters and jump-scares."
Empire - "A soft-spoken yet chilling domestic horror film that tells its slightly overfamiliar tale effectively, with strong performances, quietly disturbing atmosphere, one or two friendly clichés, and good, old- fashioned scares."
Nerdist - "Kerslake is a magnetic lead actor, incredibly real and relatable, which makes her struggle with forces beyond her that much more compelling."
The Hollywood Reporter - "It taps potently into parental anxieties and primal fears."
Take a look at what's in store.
Clip via WildCard Distribution
