Hollow employs the well-worn techniques of Blair Witch and REC to scare you off the Suffolk countryside, but can't seem to pay-off the expertly built suspense..
In the tradition of shaky-cam horror most famously demonstrated by Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, Brit indie Hollow uses the filmed footage of a group’s weekend away in the deep Suffolk countryside to send chills down the spine of unsuspecting audience members. But, in an unconventional move
within its genre, the film spends as much time dissecting the tangled relationships between each of the four friends as it does unravelling the mystery behind the titular hollow tree.
Scott and Emma are an engaged couple who take a trip to Emma’s grandfather’s house after his death. Accompanying them are James and new girlfriend Lynn, and it’s quickly established that James has had some personal problems, not least of which is the massive torch he holds for best friend Emma. The true nature of the relationships is heightened and revealed by the events of the film, and you’re never quite sure of the trials that brought them there.
But Hollow is still a traditional horror film, and it amps up the tensions with admirable ease and competency. Writer Matthew Holt and director Michael Axelgaard are first time filmmakers, but they quickly impress with their control of their characters. As the audience loses focus and clarity for their surroundings, it echoes the fear and uncertainty for those key players and leaves them contemplating their psychological states as much as the mysterious curse that haunts the area. You constantly wonder what you’ll see when the camera pans up, and find yourself inspecting every frame for clues as to what’s actually happening.
But this technique is also Hollow’s downfall, as the payoff at the movie’s climax is not enough to excuse the lack of action in its middle section. With lots of movies employing the ‘running around the countryside’ technique to elicit scares, it’s largely lost its power over time. The camera is passed from person to person, but the writers have given them no viable reason to keep on filming. Towards the end moments, which take place outdoors at night, we’re told that they need to keep it running for the light it gives them, but this seems like too little, too late to justify the bizarre footage shown for much of the film.
What is and isn’t filmed has no explanation, and various jarring cuts throughout extended ‘action’ sequences make no sense at all. Structurally, the scares are all left too late, but when they come it’s an enjoyable enough thrill ride. Sadly, you can see the budgetary constraints everywhere, no less in the last 15-minutes, which take place inside a parked car. This is also the moment when all the relationship drama is thrown out of the window, the tangled jealousy and deceit condensed down to two women fighting for territory.
Hollow can be watched as a decent enough scare-fest on a Friday night, but it adds nothing new to an over-worn genre. The more effective aspects of the film promise good things from its filmmakers, and it’s safe to say that they could do great things with a bit more cash and a more original concept. It’s fun while it lasts, but it won’t leave the cinema with you.
within its genre, the film spends as much time dissecting the tangled relationships between each of the four friends as it does unravelling the mystery behind the titular hollow tree.
Scott and Emma are an engaged couple who take a trip to Emma’s grandfather’s house after his death. Accompanying them are James and new girlfriend Lynn, and it’s quickly established that James has had some personal problems, not least of which is the massive torch he holds for best friend Emma. The true nature of the relationships is heightened and revealed by the events of the film, and you’re never quite sure of the trials that brought them there.
But Hollow is still a traditional horror film, and it amps up the tensions with admirable ease and competency. Writer Matthew Holt and director Michael Axelgaard are first time filmmakers, but they quickly impress with their control of their characters. As the audience loses focus and clarity for their surroundings, it echoes the fear and uncertainty for those key players and leaves them contemplating their psychological states as much as the mysterious curse that haunts the area. You constantly wonder what you’ll see when the camera pans up, and find yourself inspecting every frame for clues as to what’s actually happening.
But this technique is also Hollow’s downfall, as the payoff at the movie’s climax is not enough to excuse the lack of action in its middle section. With lots of movies employing the ‘running around the countryside’ technique to elicit scares, it’s largely lost its power over time. The camera is passed from person to person, but the writers have given them no viable reason to keep on filming. Towards the end moments, which take place outdoors at night, we’re told that they need to keep it running for the light it gives them, but this seems like too little, too late to justify the bizarre footage shown for much of the film.
What is and isn’t filmed has no explanation, and various jarring cuts throughout extended ‘action’ sequences make no sense at all. Structurally, the scares are all left too late, but when they come it’s an enjoyable enough thrill ride. Sadly, you can see the budgetary constraints everywhere, no less in the last 15-minutes, which take place inside a parked car. This is also the moment when all the relationship drama is thrown out of the window, the tangled jealousy and deceit condensed down to two women fighting for territory.
Hollow can be watched as a decent enough scare-fest on a Friday night, but it adds nothing new to an over-worn genre. The more effective aspects of the film promise good things from its filmmakers, and it’s safe to say that they could do great things with a bit more cash and a more original concept. It’s fun while it lasts, but it won’t leave the cinema with you.
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