Please note: this review contains very mild spoilers (specifically in the third paragraph). Read at your own risk.

The Adams Family, known for such films as Hellbender and Where the Devil Roams, are back with an all new Shudder original film. Hell Hole follows a US-led fracking team preparing to work in Serbia. The team finds a living Napoleon-era French soldier buried in the ground, but what is even more shocking is the deadly parasite hiding inside his body.

Hell Hole was directed by John Adams and Toby Poser, with the two also writing the film with Lulu Adams. In the past the Adams Family has primarily made films with supernatural plots. This time they’re tackling a creature feature. In it, a fracking crew is stranded in a remote part of Serbia after storms flood the roads. Just as they’re about to begin work, they make a series of horrifying discoveries and unleash an unknown creature that threatens the operation and the lives of the workers.

On the surface, the film is a gnarly monster flick with a squid-like parasite wreaking havoc on the fracking crew. Yet lurking just beneath the surface are some important socio-political messages. The most apparent political messaging relates to humans impact on the environment. Fracking is a hot topic for environmentalists due to how destructive it is on the wilderness. In Hell Hole, the crew hasn’t begun working because they’re waiting for a scientific team to complete a study to ensure the fracking won’t impact local fauna. While the team is given the all-clear, the discovery of the parasite quickly changes the situation. It sends the message that this kind of drilling can not only harm plants and animals we know, but it can also potentially harm or release things that have been safely trapped underground for centuries. The second bit of political messaging is all about choice. The fracking crew is run by a woman who is childless by choice. When the parasite surfaces, the way it interacts and invades the male members of the crew seems like a horror analogy for when women are sexually assaulted, impregnated, and forced to carry the fetus. Much like what Ridley Scott did with Alien, the Adams Family masterfully use horror to force men to experience the terror of being a woman.

The messaging in Hell Hole is clear and the monster frights are great, but this film also feels like one of the Adams Family’s least polished films. This is most apparent in the tone of the film. While it covers serious topics and has plenty of monstrous action and gore, there are times when it feels like Hell Hole is trying to be a comedy. There are certainly funny moments that work in the film, but other times it feels like the acting or directing is trying to make light of some of the more serious moments. Given the themes, these moment of goofiness seem out of place throughout the film. Hell Hole also ends on a rather abrupt note, leaving the audience with a memorable final image, but also with some lingering questions.

One thing fans can always count on in an Adams Family film is great performances. Hell Hole stars Toby Poser as Emily, leader of the fracking crew. Poser is someone who always seems in-charge and level-headed, even in the most intense situations. In this way, she perfectly plays Emily, as she is the only one to take charge and keep her cool against all odds. Maximum Portman (Where the Devil Roams, The Hatred) plays Emily’s nephew, Teddy. Teddy is certainly out of place in this environment working as the cook for the crew. Portman’s performance allows for some nice moments of comic relief while also acting as the heart of the film. He is the least suited for this environment, his vulnerability making him the person audiences will care for the most. Other great performances come from John Adams, Petar Arsic (Subspecies V: Bloodrise), and Marko Filipovic (Subspecies V: Bloodrise).

The Adams Family is known for having unique sights and sounds in their films. With Hell Hole, the film has an excellent, very punk score composed by John Adams. The film is set in Serbia, and that’s where it was filmed, with events occurring in a remote wooded area near the ruins of a factory of some kind. Of course, what everyone is curious about is the creature of this feature. The tentacled parasite was created with a combination of practical fabrication, CGI, and even stop-motion. Sometimes the parasite looks a bit goofy, but it’s still a fun design that leads to some iconic scenes and gross-out carnage.

Hell Hole is an outrageous creature feature that sometimes veers into silliness, even as it conveys important political messages. While this might not be my favorite work by the Adams Family, one can’t deny the film is highly entertaining and thought provoking. Poser, as usual, is the definitive star alongside a great supporting cast. The sights and sounds bringing Hell Hole to life, giving it a unique flair fans have come to expect from the Adams Family. Love it or hate it, this film is sure to be a conversation starter. Hell Hole will be available to stream exclusively on Shudder beginning August 23rd.

OVERALL RATING: 6.5/10