Eerie Beginnings

Lee Cronin, who serves as director and co-writer, sets the tone early in the film. Even the opening sequence is a signifier of something dark on the horizon. Both mother and son stand alone in an abandoned amusement park. The mother looks on as her son finds amusement at the distortion of his image in a fun-house mirror. She appears aloof but loving. Then off they go like two desperados leaving behind an empty and abandoned shell of a place. And together, they ride down a long, winding road to somewhere new. They amuse themselves with the conversation, engrossed until encountering a most unsavory roadblock, a harbinger of what lies ahead. And this is only the beginning. 

Cutting Beneath the Surface

The story moves at a gradual place but unfolds nicely. Frame by frame, Cronin adds to the creep factor, building to a crescendo. Uncanny interactions, mysterious happenings, and ominous warnings amplify the terror factor. And the movie never lets up; the story continues to build until it reaches its apex. An hour into the film is like high noon in the most epic of westerns. Sarah makes the ultimate confrontation. The stakes are high, and Sarah almost loses. However, Sarah is intrepid. But her acts of courage are not without a cost. Something in her changes as the result of the incident

An Overall View

The entire cast shines. The backdrop, a lush green countryside in Ireland, is perfect. The story is the most unsettling building from discovery to the finale. So, If you are a horror buff, The Hole in the Ground is undoubtedly a feature to add to your must-watch list.