Hollow

Director - Jonathan Zaurin (Gore Grind, Santa Baby)

Starring - Pat Garrett (The Muppet Christmas Carole, Muppet Treasure Island), Pete Bird (Dirt, Hourglass), and Ellie Jeffreys (Angry Nazi Zombies, Temptation)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror/Drama

Tagline - "That's the way to do it"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometime ago I received a press release for the indie horror film Wyvern Hill.  The artwork and title really caught my attention but over time the project slipped from my mind until a few days ago when director Jonathan Zaurin contacted me to review the film.  The movie inked a distribution deal and since the title was changed from Wyvern Hill to Hollow while receiving new artwork.  Honestly, I'm not a fan of the new name and artwork but I also don't own a distribution company intent on making money.  Regardless, I agreed to check it out and as soon as I finished Sewer Gators I went ahead and hit play on this one.  I want to thank Jonathan for sending this one my way.

     The film followed an elderly mother who is suffering from early onset dementia.  Her daughter and son-in-law purchase a fixer upper in order of moving her in so they can keep an eye on her.  However, they don't expect a serial killer has moved in with her and is using her rapidly deteriorating mind as a way to hind in plain sight.  

     Hollow is an interesting premise that could have been something rather unique and memorable but at the end of the day just feels like two fantastic stories forced together into something a little difficult to enjoy.  If the movie would have stuck with one plot over the other it would have been a truly enjoyable film.  The acting in this one is great.  Pat Garrett was amazing in her role as the aging mother.  Her emotions feel genuine and she does an amazing job at pulling the viewer in with her story.  The supporting cast is great as well.  There is a few scenes that feel rushed but most of the film is well acted.  The story for this one feels like two films put together and neither of them work well together.  The aging mother struggling to cope with her increasing disability actually worked for me.  I liked it a lot and could see myself seriously enjoy a drama starring Garrett.  However, the serial killer angle doesn't work for me.  It would be fine if it was explored more but the fact that it is random scenes here or there that does little for that angle makes it feel like it was just added to give the film a feature runtime.  Finally, the film has a little of the red stuff with some fun kills that fit the seral killer aspect of the film but they are done rather quickly and not that memorable.  Overall, Hollow could be one hell of a serial killer film if it applied itself a little more or one damn fine drama about a woman and her aging body.  Sadly, it doesn't work together and should be split apart in order to make something more enjoyable.