The Hole (2009)

Joe Dante is one of a handful of directors from the 1980's whose careers have all  but disappeared in the past two decades. The Hole returns to many of the themes and ideas that he mined so successfully in films such as Gremlins and Explorers, mixing a great kids adventure with elements of horror. In fact the whole film feels like a throw back to the 80's, which I really enjoyed. I'm a sucker for films focusing on kids investigating mysteries in suburbia, a genre that Disturbia recently utilised to great effect.
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As seems typical for these films it centres around a single parent family that moves to a new neighbourhood. Needless to say eldest son Dane is less than impressed, constantly frustrated by his younger brother (Lucas) until of course he meets the attractive girls next door and discovers a bottomless hole in the cellar (naturally). The titular Hole then becomes the focus of the film as all sorts of creepy things start to happen as the kids try and work out just what the previously bolted trapdoor was keeping out, and how they are going to stop whatever it is they have unleashed on the neighbourhood. What is especially smart about the film is that plays everything fairly low-key, this is not some world-ending disaster but more of a personal story focusing on each character's reaction to what is going on. There are no big names in the film (there is a nice Gremlins-related cameo to check out though) but the kids all do pretty well, they work well together and I found myself getting drawn into their investigations.
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The film starts slow and takes a while to get you involved, it felt quite TV-movie like early on, but as soon as the hole is discovered in the basement things pick up. There are some effective scares in the film, and some genuinely creepy moments, but Dante does a good line in bordering the horror with the adventure and sillier elements of the film. At its best it feels like a forgotten gem from your childhood, a film that feels familiar but comforting at the same time. Admittedly there are parts of the film that fall flat, the typical crazy old man shows up about half way through to try and offer some explanation to the kids, all the sections with him feel disconnected from the film and unnecessary. Similarly while I admire the ending of the film, and actually like it from the story point of view, some of the films budget limitations become quite apparent, and what is supposed to be a nightmarish dreamscape looks more like a cheap Tim Burton movie. 
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But even through this I really enjoyed the film, the enthusiasm of the kids and the pace of the story keep it moving well and satisfying overall. In the scheme of things The Hole may not rank up there with Dante's best films but it is a distinctive sign of life and a welcome return to form after many years in the wilderness. On this evidence I look forward to whatever he decides to do next.