‘Digging up’ the classics: Holes, a movie review
Olivia Hupfauer, Staff Writer
You take a bad boy and make him dig holes all day in the hot sun, and it makes him a good boy. That’s the philosophy of Camp Green Lake, a juvenile delinquent rehabilitation center out in blazing deserts of Texas and the main setting of Walt Disney Picture’s 2003 film “Holes.”
The film is an adaptation of Louis Sacher’s 1998 book “Holes” that won several awards.
“Holes” (2003), was directed by Andrew Davis and presents an incredible cast: Shia LaBeouf takes the lead at Stanley Yelnats IV, Sigourney Weaver plays the Warden, John Voight as Mr. Sir, and Tim Blake Nelson as Dr. Pendenski, to name a few.
The film follows Stanley Yelnats IV, a teenage boy who is part of a family of very unlucky people. The Yelnats family is under a curse, and it is all because of Stanley’s “dirty rotten pig stealing great-great grandfather” according to Stanley’s grandfather, Stanley Yelnats II.
Stanley encounters this legendary bad luck when a pair of shoes falls from the sky, literally, and hits him on the head. Unfortunately for Stanley, these shoes were not only expensive but also stolen, and Stanley is arrested when the police find him with the shoes. Wrongly accused of theft, Stanley stands in the court room and must choose between jail or spending a few months at Camp Green Lake. Stanley, thinking a few months at camp sounds like a better alternative to jail, chooses Camp Green Lake.
When he arrives, the Yelnats’s family curse strikes again: there is no lake, nothing is green, and every day is spent digging holes in the in the hot, dry desert. Why? Because it builds character. Shovel full after shovel full, Stanley begins to dig his first hole. And with each toss of dirt, he curses his great-great grandfather for breaking a promise and unleashing a curse over his descendents. But little does Stanley know; his bad luck is about to bring about the opportunity for him to break his family’s curse once and redeem that broken promise.
“Holes” is an excellent film for many reasons. And those reasons differ depending on who you talk to. Many book enthusiasts love the film adaptation because of how close it stayed to the book itself. The film is almost verbatim to the book, even including the flashback scenes of the book’s b-plot with notorious outlaw Kissin’ Kate Barlow (played by Patricia Arquette). Many who read the books as a child, including myself, are pleased with the movie staying (mostly) true to its source material.
The cinematography must also be noted in the film. Stephen St. John, the cinematographer, beautifully captured the atmosphere of the locations the movie was filmed at. Wide, establishing shots of the vast, wild desert plains, are plenty in this film. In the film Mr. Sir tells Stanley and the audience, that there are no fences at Camp Green Lake because there’s literally nothing for miles in any direction. And St. John reminds us of that with his cinematography.
The casting choices were perfect for the characters, and the actors and actresses in the movie were spectacular. Voight’s performance as the over-the-top, mean yet funny Mr. Sir was excellent. Weaver’s performance as the cold-hearted, mysterious warden is memorable and LaBeouf and the rest of the boys at Camp Green Lake captured the roles of troubled youth perfectly. The dynamics between the boys was exceptionally done well, and the chemistry between them all told the story well.
“Holes” is a fun adventure story that tackles themes of choices and consequences, friendship, redemption, and love that knows no bounds. It is a film that is entertaining and heart-warming, and 19 years after its release, is still beloved by many.
“Holes” is available to watch with a Disney+ subscription, or available to purchase on YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, or Apple TV.
