Director: Joe Dante
Starring: Haley Bennett, Chris Massoglia, Nathan Gamble, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern, Quinn Lord
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Big Air
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Run Time: 92 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
Firstly, let me start off that I am very disappointed that this film was not released on 3D Blu-ray. The film was shot back in 2009 and was never released in the US until now. It is available on 3D Blu-ray in other countries but not US. The film itself was even shot in 3D, which only adds insult to injury. Joe Dante is known for creating such amazing films as “Gremlins” series, “Innerspace” and “The “Burbs”. This film is a great combination of horror and comedy. Even though it is PG-13, there is still a few great spooks and suspense. I am not sure why this was shelved so long, but this film screams classic Joe Dante and is a must for all fans of his work. Keep an eye out for regulars like Dick Miller, as well.
SYNOPSIS: From director Joe Dante comes a 3D thriller that explores the fears and secrets buried deep within the human mind. After moving into a new neighborhood, brothers Dane and Lucas, along with their neighbor 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.
The release itself doesn’t come in 3D but it does come in a combo pack with a standard Blu-ray and DVD of the film. The 1080p transfer of the film does look very nice though. I would have loved the seen the last 15 minutes in 3D, which probably would have benefited much more. The audio is also impressive with its DTS-HD Master Audio track. The special features included are decent as well but would have loved to see a commentary track. There are two featurettes which expand deeper into the film with “The Keyholder” and “Relationships (Family Matters)”. There is also two Behind the Scenes extras the first going a “A Peek Inside The Hole”, definitely recommend and the other looks into the production with “The Making of The Hole”. Lastly there are movie stills included.