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Advance Movie Review: Hollow

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  • September 18, 2012

  • 6 mins to read

Advance Movie Review: Hollow

Studio: Tribeca Film in partnership with American Express

Release Date:  Wednesday, September 19, 2012 on VOD (video on demand)

MPAA Rating:  Not yet rated

Runtime: 89 minutes

Rating: ★★★★★

 

Synopsis:

An old monastery in a small, remote village has been haunted by a local legend for centuries. Left in ruin and shrouded by the mystery of a dark spirit that wills young couples to suicide, the property has been avoided for years, marked only by a decrepit old tree with an ominous hollow said to be the home of great evil. When four vacationing friends explore the local folklore, they realize that belief in a myth can quickly materialize into reality, bringing horror to life for the town. – Tribeca Film

Scott (Matt Stokoe), Lynne (Jessica Ellerby) and Emma (Emily Plumtree) after their car hits a fox who mysteriously vanishes

As the movie opens, we hear the voice of a police officer (Ian Attfield) opening an investigation, “Incident at Greyfriar’s Hollow,” into the deaths of four people whose bodies have been found hanging from an enormous tree. Right off, we know the outcome for the characters, removing all hope that at least one might survive.

I’m a huge fan of scary movies so when I was presented with the opportunity to watch Hollow before its release on VOD, I was thrilled. Finally, I could scream to my heart’s content in the privacy of my own home, where no one could hear me making a fool of myself. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. There was no screaming, no tissue clenching, and no heart pounding.

Emma, Lynne and Scott in the light of the ruins

Emma (Emily Plumtree) and Scott (Matt Stokoe) are a couple on the verge of marrying. Lynne (Jessica Ellerby) and James (Sam Stockman) are married with a child. All is not happy, though, as we learn when Lynne tells James, “Come on, James. We have to talk.” We also learn James and Emma had a previous relationship and despite his marriage to Lynne, James still harbors unrequited feelings for Emma, which he declares to her as they sit in their car. The four of them decided to go on an adventure to Emma’s late grandfather’s house near Greyfriar’s Monastery and the dangerous Dunwich cliffs in England. In the surrounding area is a huge tree known as the “suicide tree.” It is hollow—hence the film’s title—and folklore has it many a couple have hanged themselves there.

The relationships among the two couples are complicated, and supposedly the driving force behind this film. As director Michael Axaalrod notes in the press kit: “In developing HOLLOW, I wondered what would happen if we could focus on the characters and get the audience to really engage with them, understand their hopes and fears, and feel like they know them.”

Hollow is from the found-footage genre a lá The Blair Witch Project, a method I find annoying and extremely frustrating. Most of the scenes are dark, lit only by the light of the camcorder that is recording this adventure, making it difficult to follow the action, especially when it jumps from nighttime to daytime without explanation of what happened. I am unable to comment on the actors’ abilities since they are hardly ever in focus.

Perhaps the best part of Hollow is the story, as it comes together in bits and pieces, and we learn about the legend behind the foreboding tree. As the story goes, people who come into contact with the tree are somehow driven mad and hang themselves from the outstretched branches. It’s no wonder the characters are as scared as they are, especially when they learn Emma’s late grandfather may have participated in exorcism rituals to break the curse. Of interest is what happens to the two couples and their individual characters throughout the course of the movie, leaving us to wonder what the cause is behind the drastic changes they undergo.

That said, after watching the first 45 minutes, I was still waiting for something to happen. To say this film is slow is putting it mildly. Truth be told, I was bored, and had I not committed to writing this review, I would have stopped the tape at that point. For this movie, it’s not what’s on the screen that keeps your interest, it’s the dialogue. Most of the time, you have no idea what you’re looking at, and unless you’re familiar with the actors’ voices, there are many times you don’t even know who’s speaking.  It is difficult to empathize with the characters because although they appear terrified, we never once see what is causing such fear. Is it human, an animal, or something other-worldly?  And as Scott asks Emma, if she knew they ran the chance of being injured, or worse, “Why did you bring us here?” That question is never answered.

Although I am a fan of the horror genre, one of the things that bother me about it is all too often, the characters make stupid mistakes. And in Hollow, that’s exactly what happens towards the end of the movie. I ask you, if you’re in a car, frightened out of your mind, with the only light coming from the camcorder, why would you leave the car unlocked? And then, why would you get out of the car, especially after not one, but two of you have already disappeared? Hello? If something/someone were trying to kill me, I sure as hell wouldn’t make it easy for it/him to get me!

Regrettably, having vertigo at the time of viewing didn’t help. I had a hard time watching as the camera bounced from scene to scene. Aside from the opening, there are only one or two scenes where the camera is steady. Unfortunately for me, I now have a terrible headache.

Follow Hollow on Twitter @TribecaFilm, using hashtag #Hollow. LIKE the movie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HollowFilm.

Photos courtesy of Mark James / © 2012 Tribeca Film. All Rights Reserved.

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!