Hellhole

One hell of a Polish horror film. The setup is pretty simple and thematically Hellhole has nothing new to offer, but Kowalski puts all his marbles on mood and atmosphere, and that's where this one shines. If the finale had come a bit earlier this could've been a personal favorite, but I was still pretty damn impressed in the end.

Marek is a police officer who disguises himself as a monk and goes undercover in a remote monastery. Several women have disappeared in the neighborhood and word is that they were all taken there. Marek discovers that the monastery's exorcism work is fake, but the reason behind it is far more sinister than he could've imagined.

The setting is pretty awesome, but it's Kowalski's pointed direction that makes all the difference. A moody score and top-notch cinematography create a tangible feeling of discomfort, the build-up toward the finale is solid (but a tad too long), and the finale itself kicks ass. One of the better horror scenes I've seen in years, it's just a little disappointing the film ends there. Looking forward to Kowalski's next film though, he's definitely one to watch.