‘John and the Hole’: This 2021 Psychological Thriller Features One of Film’s Creepiest Kids

Horror and thriller films frequently use the evil child concept, which is frequently explained by external factors like possession or extraterrestrial meddling. On the other hand, some tales depict kids who are just evil without any supernatural justification. This idea is disturbing and makes viewers wonder where the child’s behaviour came from. It is explored in movies like ‘The Lodge’ and ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’. The psychological thriller ‘John and the Hole’ from 2021 is one such instance; it tells a chilling tale with no simple solutions.

The film, which was directed by Pascual Sisto, centres on the affluent but estranged Shay family. In an attempt to gain some independence, John, his 13-year-old son, locks his parents and sister in a bunker in the woods. John takes great pleasure in his newfound authority while the family descends into despair. As he icily observes his family’s suffering while avoiding contact with them, his actions are unsettling and evocative of early Michael Myers. John is nasty, but his lack of consideration for his actions shows how immature he is.

Image Courtesy: People

The psychological terror of a child acting maliciously and without apparent cause is examined in the movie. As time goes on, John’s carefully thought-out plot to trap his family falls apart. His parents, in particular, are perplexed by his decision to betray his family and find it hard to comprehend how their seemingly normal child could be capable of such action. Their parents attempt to explain the situation or avoid dealing with it at all, but his sister Laurie recognizes something is up right away.

The movie ends with a startling turn of events. Rather than a standard survival situation, John abruptly releases his family, who finds him apparently drowned yet uninjured. Uncertain of whether John’s actions are the result of their failure or something deeper within him, the film concludes ambiguously, leaving the family to accept his disturbing power over them in silence. Uncertain of how to deal with the monster among them, the family is left to live in terror.

–Farheen Ali