At first glance, ‘Hollow in the Land’ looked
boring. Glee’s ‘Dianna Agron’ and actor ‘Shawn Ashmore’ were the only names I recognized.
Based on many recommendations from my friends, I decided to watch it, which
proved to be an excellent decision. Director Scooter Corkle’s ’Hollow in the Land’
is a hidden gem that deserves more recognition.
The story unfolds in an intense and gripping
atmosphere framed by a lot of handheld camera shots. The constant camera
movement adds even more tension to the story. The dreary colors go perfectly
with the evocatively haunting music, with production that was almost in favor
of the story itself. The screenplay is very plausible and clever, it helps make
the characters in this performance-driven film even more realistic. When it
comes to the plot it gets predictable at times, with the main character making bad
decisions that rivals ‘Ben Affleck’s’ character in ‘Gone Girl’. What forgives the
obviousness of the plot is the constant turns of events, that might leave
distracted viewers confused. One of the
shortcomings of the film is the limited suspense towards the culmination, which
makes it seem a bit bland. Dianna Agron’s surprisingly strong performance was
the highlight of ‘Hollow in the Land’. Overall the cast delivered a robust
harmonized performance that elevated the film’s status even more.
It’s easy to relate to a story about a small town,
and the pressure that comes with growing up in it. And themes the movie
explores are about family drama, love, vengeance and bravery, relate to
everyone easily. If you enjoy melancholic low budget indie films with strong
performances, then I highly recommend this one.
