Plot: It’s Halloween eve on Shelter Island, and the small town is preparing for a killer storm. But the dark clouds gathering over the island are bringing with them a curse one-hundred years in waiting. As the woods give birth to an ungodly and insatiable creature of fire, bones, and earth, three sisters must scramble to stay alive through the long dark night of the Hollow. For it’s not something you can kill. It’s only something you can try and survive.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Brilliant Creature Terrible Characters
Story: The Hollow starts as we see Cora (Unger) getting supplies for a big storm only while returning her dog Charlie freaks out bursting out of the car before getting attacked herself in the forest. We move on to meet her nieces Sarah (Hunt), Marley (Dugdale) and Emma (Newton) who have to move to live with Cora after their parents die. With the tension still stretched between Sarah and Marley they are warned away from the island but insist on going.
Upon finally getting to Shelter Island the girls find Cora dead in her car and a stranger warning them of an impending threat that seems to rise on the island every time there is a storm on Halloween. When the girls find themselves under attack from a tree like creature they must find somewhere to hide along with Seth (Harmon) who has his own score to settle as they have nowhere to get off the island.
The Hollow is a film that gives us a truly terrifying creature that is one of my favourites in recent years. The back story to why the creature is there is also great. Now for what is didn’t like and I am not going to hold back here, the characters are horribly written first of all the people on the island get zero introduction before killing them, you also give us an interesting character in Seth only to make him a coward. As for the three girls Emma keeps running away without her sisters hearing her making her out to be a stealth thief and then never following instruction. Sarah gets introduced as a tough character only to half way through being the weak on before becoming the strong one again while Marley comes off early on as the weak character only to turn tough in the middle before turning stupid in the final act. This annoyed me a lot as we should see better writing for these characters.
Actor Review
Stephanie Hunt: Sarah is the oldest of the sister trying to be the responsible one through the situation before having to step up and fight to protect the sisters from the creature after them. Stephanie is solid in this role even if the character is badly written.
Sarah Dugdale: Marley is the middle sister that never wanted to go to the island in the first place, she will do anything to protect her little sister though. She has agreed that this is the best option however much she battles against it. Sarah is solid in this role even if the character is written badly.
Richard Harmon: Seth is a stranger that has also come to the island, he knows what he is getting himself into coming prepared for battle against what the island holds. Richard is good in this role which is a very interesting character that I feel there was a lot more to see off.
Deborah Kara Unger: Aunt Cora is who the girls are moving to the island to live with, she has lived on the island her whole life but finds herself becoming a victim to the creature on the island early on. Deborah is solid in what is like a cameo performance though.
Support Cast: The Hollow has a supporting cast which follows the usual type of victims being chased down by the creature making the decisions you would expect from them.
Director Review: Sheldon Wilson – Sheldon has given us a film with so much potential that has some horrible character decisions along the way which takes away from the brilliant effects and creature created.
Horror: The Hollow does have well created horror moments through the film.
Settings: The Hollow keeps everything on the island which adds to the horror of being trapped being hunted.
Special Effects: The Hollow has great effect to create a monster that I haven’t seen before.
Suggestion: The Hollow is one I think the horror fans can enjoy on late night TV. (Late Night TV)
Best Part: The creature.
Worst Part: The characters.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $2 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Overall: A Creature that could strike fear in anyone but characters that just make you laugh.
Rating