EMAILSFMH: The Black Hole Is Full Of Holes

The core idea and the technical execution (in terms of camera work, sound, lighting, and so forth) are fine. Yet I must give this but two stars, because of a more glaring hole… one in the story.

I find it objectionable that the properties of the hole are inconsistent:

1. First, when placed horizontally, it appears to be an extra-dimensional space… the man’s hand & forearm extend past where the glass and innards of the photocopier would be, and retrieve his un-crushed Styrofoam cup from some unseen space.

2. Next, it appears to also lead to an unseen space in the vertical position as well, as we can see the man’s hand & forearm disappear when inserted into the hole.

3. But in the very next scene, the hole –still in the vertical orientation– becomes a simple 2-D breach in the front of the candy machine, allowing a candy bar from inside to be pulled back out.

(Or did it? Maybe that was a totally different and unrelated Snickers from *inside* the extra-dimensional space. That’s the logical assumption, given the hole’s operation up to this point. Why would the man assume that this spooky eldritch candy-bar-looking thing is a Snickers from inside the machine, so sure of this that he begins to EAT it? It makes no sense.)

4. We continue to see the hole used as a 2-D breaching device to gain access to the other side of a locked door, and then to the contents of a safe. I won’t spoil the ending save to say it also shows that the hole operates as a temporary breach.

Why take up the first 1:15 of a 2:21 film (52% of the movie!) to establish the primary characteristics of your title character and sole plot device only to completely contradict those in the brief remainder of the film?

I can’t believe this won the Grand Prize in the Virgin Media Short Film Competition, and was was described by the judging panel as ‘beautifully crafted’ and exhibiting ‘perfect story-telling’. What film were they watching?!

Tagged as: black holes