Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Hollows Grove’

Written by Scott Edwards

If you do not believe in something that others do, it is not wise to mock or make fun of it. Just go along with the flow, you never really know what has led them to their respective beliefs and you may learn something special along the way. This is why I watch so many of the ghost hunting reality shows out there, despite the fact I have a hard time distinguishing what is real and what is made up. But what I do know is that these shows offer incredible insight on what drives people to believe in the unknown and also, they’re entertaining. Because if nothing scary happens on the show, ratings drop like a brick. Not everything can be caught on camera, this I have seen with my own eyes, but that is a discussion for another day.

Harold is having a tough time with his recent breakup and needs to do something to clear his head. With his old college buddies doing their ghost hunting show S.P.I.T., Harold thinks that doing a documentary on the show will help him get free of his funk. On their way to meet with Bill, Tim is ready to show his buddy a good time, but the surprises he has in store make Harold second guess what is really happening. Bill is a special effects wizard and shows the boys firsthand what he can do with enough prep time. Talking to the camera, Harold finds out that all of the scares on the show have been manufactured by this legend.

Arriving at the S.P.I.T. offices, Harold also sees that the meat of the show is cut together in the editing room and after a brief meeting with Julie, their prized producer, he is going to be privy to seeing what actually happens on their ghost hunts. Arriving at Hollows Grove Orphanage and seeing the caretaker's concern about letting the group in, Tim is able to convince the old man to open the door against his will. Entering the old building with a disturbing past, the group is ready to get their footage and get out as soon as possible. But that is easier said than done when their camera man Chad is tripped down a flight of stairs. Knowing that the show comes first, Harold becomes the lead cameraman and sees what really happens in Hollows Grove when the sun goes down.

Usually I would go a bit longer with the storyline, but I would hate to give anything away if you have yet to see this movie. It is another one of the Found Footage movies that bring the scares out right when they need to. I liked the dynamic of the S.P.I.T. team and how they all play off of each other, no matter what crappy situation they are put into. But the ultimate payoff is when they find out that the building is really haunted, and they have no way of combating the spirits that are roaming the halls. This one features some great shock scares and the camera work is not as shaky as some other movies of this genre, so it ranks right up there with some of the better Found Footage movies in my memory. Stay Scared.

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