Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
After moving into a new neighbourhood, brothers Dane & Lucas and their neighbour Julie discover a bottomless hole in the basement of their home. They find that once the hole is exposed, evil is unleashed. With strange shadows lurking around every corner and nightmares coming to life, they are forced to come face to face with their darkest fears to put an end to the mystery of THE HOLE.
Joe Dante's family horror adventure has a charming old-school Amblin feel and an intriguing central premise — a bottomless hole unleashing personalized fears — that gives it a distinctive nostalgic voice. The plot is imaginative but unevenly developed, struggling to maintain tension across its runtime. Acting is mixed, with the child performances ranging from adequate to weak, though Bruce Dern adds some color in a small role. Cinematography is competent with some well-staged horror sequences benefiting from Dante's experience. The ending deflates much of the built-up dread, resolving the supernatural mystery in an underwhelming and overly convenient fashion. Overall a passable but flawed effort that doesn't fully capitalize on its premise.