Reviewer's Rating 3 out of 5 Ìý User Rating 4 out of 5
Holes DVD (2003)

Disney's tale of a desert prison where kids have to spend all day digging holes is "an entertaining little romp that refuses to patronise its ankle-biting audience". You could also say the same for the DVD release, which comes with special features that are likely to appeal to a more mature audience, with one notable exception.

Kids Let Loose!

Holes DVD screengrab

Why have these kid actors been left unsupervised for a commentary of their own? The lead children in the movie fill up a near two-hour hole with a dull track of name-checking and trying to be funny. There's no reason why they shouldn't have a laugh, but this doesn't even seem to be an interesting conversation for themselves, let alone some past it DVD reviewer.

An Adult Commentary

Director Andrew Davis and writer Louis Sachar provide the rather more sedate and informative second commentary track. It's also as dry as a desert hole, but compared to the first effort this is an oasis of information, especially if you're a fan of the original book and want to know how Louis and Andrew agreed on how the film should be realised.

Spare Holes

Also on this slightly strange disc are six deleted scenes and two mildly interesting featurettes, which includes audition footage of the kids.

EXTRA FEATURES

  • Audio commentary with Shia LaBeouf, Kleo Thomas, Jake M Smith, and Max Kasch
  • Audio commentary with director Andrew Davis and screenwriter Louis Sachar
  • Six deleted scenes
  • The Boys of D Tent 'making of' featurette
  • Digging The First Hole writing featurette
  • Gag reel
  • Music video
  • This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-N5 DVD player.

    Technical Information

    REGION SOUND MENUS RATIO
    2 Dolby Digital 5.1 Animated, with holes 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
    CHAPTERS SUBTITLES AUDIO TRACKS
    24 English, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish English, French, Spanish
    CAPTIONS EXTRAS SUBTITLES CERTIFICATE
    English None of the special features come with subtitles 12

    End Credits

    Director: Andrew Davis

    Writer: Louis Sachar

    Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, Patricia Arquette

    Genre: Family

    Length: 117 minutes

    Cinema: 24 October 2003

    DVD: 22 March 2004

    Country: USA