Movie spotlight
Hideouts
In this well-photographed and sometimes confusing wartime drama, an Austrian village experiences the tragedy of war on several different levels. Within one family, the younger son is jealous of the praise his father gives to a Polish POW who is working for them under very difficult conditions. Within the village as a whole, the French, Polish, and Russian POWs are kept under guard by Nazi soldiers, creating a tense situation all around. But more importantly, the village has conspired to hide an Austrian deserter in a cave up in the mountains. This act of rebellion on the part of the deserter and the village hangs in a precarious balance that could be upset by a single traitorous comment to the Gestapo.
Insights
Plot Summary
A group of friends on a camping trip discover a hidden, seemingly abandoned house deep in the woods. Their curiosity turns to terror as they realize they are not alone and become targets of a sinister presence within the house. The friends must fight for survival against an unknown and deadly force.
Critical Reception
Hideouts (1986) received a generally negative reception from critics, often cited for its predictable plot and lack of originality within the slasher subgenre of horror films. While some audiences may have found it mildly entertaining as a B-movie, it did not achieve significant critical acclaim or lasting recognition.
What Reviewers Say
The film suffers from a weak script and uninspired direction.
Lacks genuine scares and relies on tired horror tropes.
Performances are largely unmemorable, failing to elevate the material.
Google audience: Audience reviews for 'Hideouts' are scarce due to its limited release and obscurity. Those that exist tend to reflect the critical sentiment, with viewers often finding the film forgettable and lacking the suspense or originality expected from a horror movie.
Fun Fact
Despite its low profile, director Paul Leder also directed the cult classic horror film 'The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything' (1980).
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