Hallowed Ground (2007) Movie Review
Hallowed Ground
Directed by David Benullo
Stars Jaimie Alexander, Brian McNamara
Reviewer: Jamie Jenkins
Hallowed Ground is not your typical scarecrow movie. In many ways, it’s more like a version of Children of the Corn. Liz Chambers (Jaimie Alexander) is driving solo through cornfield country. You know that’s where you are when all you can get on the radio is an overzealous preacher screaming about fire and brimstone. Okay, you could be in my childhood but the chances of that are unlikely. But I digress. Liz, of course, has car trouble, which leaves her stranded in this town where they know you’re a stranger before you do. Then things get creepier when Liz discovers that this town has a troubled past when it comes to religion. And they still worship He Who Walks Beh…oops! Sorry, I mean their founding preacher, who met an untimely end a long time ago because his idea of crime and punishment was little, um, old fashioned. Things from this point might not be so bad for Liz except that the Hallowed Ground of the title does not refer to a church yard. And now she must get the hell out of Dodge if she doesn’t want to be the woman responsible for bringing this horrid little man into the world twice.
So far it may not have come off that I enjoyed this movie. I did. Despite the fact that I’ve been teasing it over its similarities to Children of the Corn, that’s really just the well fed mind of a horror fan, working constantly to sift through the archives. Everything these days seems to remind me of something. But Hallowed Ground really is original and well done. The principal players do a good job. Some of the townsfolk may come off a little stiff but I honestly think that was intended. You know how people can be when they are buried in a town of religious zealots. They just don’t have as much fun as they used to.
Apart from Jaimie Alexander, horror fans should also be on the lookout for Chloe Moretz as a frightened little girl that was left behind when her parents misbehaved and ended up on the receiving end of nasty punishment. Those of you who did not boycott the movie our of nerd rage should recognize her from Let Me In. And you can also expect to see her in the latest remake of Carrie, which is in post. She also has a ton of movies that are in varying stages of production. That’s a good thing because she’s a solid actress.
While it’s difficult for me to place Hallowed Ground among the usual suspects of Scarecrow films since that’s not really the main focus, it can be done with the caveat that this one isn’t the typical someone gets wronged, comes back as a scarecrow and wreaks havoc yielding a scythe. Expect a little more depth and a little less scarecrow here. Overall, it’s original, well done and not a bad watch at all. It even has some creepy moments that good for a chill here and there.
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