This year's Sundance has already presented a few films with unclear, atmospheric qualities (like Human Factors and In The Earth), but so far, none have really made a positive impression on me. John and the Hole nearly managed to elicit a strong reaction, though it also contains another significant underground space filled with too many unanswered questions. It’s always difficult to review a movie that has an underlying story I don't completely grasp. To be honest, there seems to be an entire plot thread that I’m either only beginning to understand or is perhaps just a disappointing and unimportant piece of the script. Since I can't quite put my finger on what it’s truly about, I’ll set it aside for now and revisit it later with a second viewing. Despite this, most of the film explores something (apparently) separate from that subplot. This is where the movie falls short in delivering a more engaging story. Nicolás Giacobone's screenplay has many intriguing ideas and setups, but their resolutions and outcomes are far from remarkable or unexpected. Throughout the entire running time, I was waiting for a significant moment of energy or an impactful event, but these rarely happen. The viewer follows Charlie Shotwell’s character as he finds himself responsible for everything in his life, but even with the admittedly suspenseful atmosphere keeping me on the edge of my seat (the couch), I still hoped for something more substantial to unfold. Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Ehle, and Taissa Farmiga are excellent, making a small bunker the most interesting part of the film because of their compelling interactions. Watching their characters try to maintain their sanity proved surprisingly entertaining. However, Shotwell takes center stage as you’d expect from a narrative so focused on the protagonist. His performance is outstanding. Technically, Paul Özgür’s cinematography provides some memorable shots that enhance certain sequences, but it's Caterina Barbieri’s unique score that really creates the tense environment, which kept me curious until the very end. Pascual Sisto’s direction also deserves recognition, but I don’t think it’s fair for me to criticize a film I don’t fully understand for leaving so many questions unanswered until I've seen it again, or perhaps even a third time. Still, I feel there’s an attempt at being completely ambiguous rather than balancing that with more straightforward elements. John and the Hole is another unclear entry in this year's Sundance lineup, but this time, it almost satisfied me. Setting aside a particular storyline that I don’t fully understand yet (a second viewing will be necessary), Pascual Sisto’s direction and Nicolás Giacobone’s screenplay leave too many questions for my liking, but I can’t deny that some of them spark an interesting debate within myself. Either I'm only scratching the surface of something more significant, or those underwhelming, uneventful, basic developments of intriguing situations are simply what they appear to be. The remarkable performances from everyone involved (and I genuinely mean everyone), the beautiful camera work, and the captivating score all contribute to an incredibly suspenseful atmosphere that kept me invested until the very last second. That ending though… I’m not sure about it. Rating: B-

Source on TMDB