I loved this! I want to give it more stars, but I'm trying to remain a little objective here. A film like this can really only come about through a case of "too many cooks". It feels like it's vying to be at least two different movies: both a psychological thriller and an all-out B-grade horror. Apparently the initial screenplay had a different tone and perhaps could have delivered an effective and chilling thriller focussing on the lonely 12-year-old Jamie and his delusions: ostracized by his schoolmates, labelled a weirdo by the townsfolk, and with a mostly absent, distant pair of parents, he talks only with his Teddy and plots to feed those who've wronged him to the imaginary creatures in the titular pit: an allegory for all sorts of adolescent angst. However, it seems director Lew Lehman wanted to make a more campy horror, and so there actually ARE creatures in the pit and in one scene, Teddy actually swivels his head independently, suggesting he really is talking to Jamie. Add to this madness visions of a supernatural nature and a tone that swings wildly from serious psychoanalysis of a bullied child to absurd black humour and slapstick and you've got one hell of a strange, but entertaining movie.
Sammy Snyders is great in the lead role of Jamie, really coming across as sinister and disturbed at times, but also able to evoke sympathy when showing his naive side. You felt there was a lot of neglect and hurt behind his strange behaviours. I felt a bit sorry for him being considered a pervert when literally all the women in his life (teacher, nanny, librarian) were willowy young women in sheer leotards and tiny short shorts: no wonder his libido was raging. His antics would have made him king of the frat-house if this was a teen comedy of the era! Jeannie Elias was also very believable as the sweet-natured psychology student, Sandy, who becomes his nanny whilst his parents are away on a trip, thinking she will be able to understand and help the young boy. She gets a lot more than she bargained for!
Whilst simmering along for the first hour, things take an unexpected tonal turn when Jamie starts luring and dumping people into the pit, since these scenes are all played for laughs with a ridiculous soundtrack to match. Following this, the tension building between Jamie and Sandy is eschewed for a simple "monsters on a rampage" storyline with costumed people running around the countryside for the closing fifteen minutes, before the movie delivers a wickedly satisfying ending.
It's a shame the filmmakers couldn't have shown a bit more discipline as they could have really made something powerful. Instead they delivered something quite silly and yet utterly unique, memorable and entertaining from start to finish. If you enjoy unusual horror films this is really worth a watch.
Sammy Snyders is great in the lead role of Jamie, really coming across as sinister and disturbed at times, but also able to evoke sympathy when showing his naive side. You felt there was a lot of neglect and hurt behind his strange behaviours. I felt a bit sorry for him being considered a pervert when literally all the women in his life (teacher, nanny, librarian) were willowy young women in sheer leotards and tiny short shorts: no wonder his libido was raging. His antics would have made him king of the frat-house if this was a teen comedy of the era! Jeannie Elias was also very believable as the sweet-natured psychology student, Sandy, who becomes his nanny whilst his parents are away on a trip, thinking she will be able to understand and help the young boy. She gets a lot more than she bargained for!
Whilst simmering along for the first hour, things take an unexpected tonal turn when Jamie starts luring and dumping people into the pit, since these scenes are all played for laughs with a ridiculous soundtrack to match. Following this, the tension building between Jamie and Sandy is eschewed for a simple "monsters on a rampage" storyline with costumed people running around the countryside for the closing fifteen minutes, before the movie delivers a wickedly satisfying ending.
It's a shame the filmmakers couldn't have shown a bit more discipline as they could have really made something powerful. Instead they delivered something quite silly and yet utterly unique, memorable and entertaining from start to finish. If you enjoy unusual horror films this is really worth a watch.