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Friday, May 9th
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Movie Forums :: Reviews :: Holes: You'll dig this movie |
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Posted on 4/25/03
Holes: You'll dig this movie
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Allow me to open with a quote:
"Here's the scoop: They should have called this Plot Holes. Shoveling aside the best stuff from the popular kids book it's based on, what remains is just a big pile.
Teenager Shia LeBeouf gets sent to a cruel Texas jail for boys where he's forced to dig into the sun-hardened ground to develop character -- and possibly heat stroke. Water gets doled out by ornery Jon Voight, a ruthless overseer who mugs relentlessly for the camera...and the film's few laughs. There's also a pointless backstory with Patricia Arquette as an Old West schoolteacher on a crime spree. There's way too much violence and cruelty here for the younger ones, and readers of the book are sure to be disappointed. Here's wishing director Andrew Davis could've dug a little deeper to reach out to the PG crowd -- dig?"
So says Anderson Jones of E! Online. Allow me to be the first to tell you that Anderson Jones either never read the novel or was stoned out of his mind while watching the movie. It has been a little while since I read the novel, (1-2 years to be more precise), but the movie portrayed everything I recalled in the book. This may be a slightly biased review, as I loved the novel so much, but I will try to review this film solely from a movie buff stance for the benefit of those who haven't read Holes.
For those not familiar with the novel, it concerns one Stanley Yelnats IV (played here by Shia LaBeouf). Stanley, after being convicted of a crime which he didn't commit, is sent to Camp Greenlake, a bizarre juvenile correction center that sits in the middle of the desert, surrounded by countless holes. Every day Stanley and the other boys at Camp Greenlake are forced to dig a hole 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep. What follows is a mystery that is slowly revealed, a romance, a rescue and much, much more.
On top of the principal plot there are two other stories that are told in flashbacks. One involves an outlaw and the other a family curse. The beauty is that all of these plots blend together flawlessly, creating a tapestry of cinema. (It was strangely reminiscent of Lone Star).
My biggest fear was that the movie would attempt to be cute. This came to me while watching the trailers before the movie, all of them bathing in pre-teen cuteness. Much to my relief, this was far from the case. The young actors (most notably Shia LaBeouf and Khleo Thomas) played their roles with a surprising amount of conviction. The adult actors in Camp Greenlake, including Sigourney Weaver and Jon Voight, portray the right amount of menace and are frightening enough to let the viewer know how Camp Greenlake is a hell for those involved but not make the movie uncomfortable to watch. The only casting I wasn't crazy about was that of Patricia Arquette as an outlaw, but she, too, was good in her role. Overall, I'd say the cast and acting was about as perfect as possible for this movie. (playing a supporting role is Henry Winkler, who has a small but delightful role as Stanley's father).
Andrew Davis (of The Fugitive fame) directs, and his direction brings a unique feel to the movie. The thrills are, for the most part, subtle. He is directing for a younger audience, so things almost must be this way There are some pretty suspenseful scenes, though. The movie is, as I stated earlier, very faithful to the novel. (The script is written by the author of Holes himself, Louis Sachar).
I really had no real problems with this movie. Some elements were aimed towards younger viewers, but that much can be expected from a Disney film. On the whole I was very, very pleased with the maturity of this film. (Its amazing how it compares to Anger Management). It could've been a bit more developed and longer, but the length is a good balance for younger and older viewers. The combination of the storyline, acting, and direction should treat for all movie lovers.
Overall, Holes is a great film that can be enjoyed by movie lovers of all ages.
BOTTOM LINE: Go see Holes.
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