Streebo made the trip out to see the latest effort (as a producer) from Guillermo Del Toro – a remake of the 1973 film – Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. The name “Guillermo Del Toro” is uttered with respect in the halls of the Mutantville Mothership where he is considered one of the Patron Saints of Guerrilla Filmmaking for his efforts on such genre classics as Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, Blade II and Pan’s Labyrinth. Guillermo Del Toro wrote and produced Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark which tells the story of young Sally who is sent to live with her father and his girlfriend and discovers that there is something dark and sinister living in the ancient mansion that wants to claim Sally as their own.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark very much stands apart from the rest of the other horror offerings this season. It focuses more on building atmosphere and mystery rather than bombarding the viewer with an onslaught of images and adventure. The movie plays with many of the haunted house tropes and never really tries to do anything new – but rather prefers to tell it’s story in the best way possible.
The character of Sally is very likeable and sympathetic and is played with verve and 
spunk by newcomer Bailee Madison. The father Alex and his girlfriend Kim seem distant and unconcerned with Sally’s situation at first but their own emotional arc is part of the story itself. Sally feels alone and isolated in her new environment and this loneliness is what makes her susceptible to the voices that whisper her name from the darkness.
The production design for Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is nothing short of phenomenal. The settings are gorgeous and lush, the lighting is atmospheric and the camera lovingly pans across it all – allowing us to take it all in. This rich atmosphere is what ultimately makes the film work.
Unfortunately, the movie is harnessed with a R-rating that is never fully realized. There is no foul language, the gore is very minimal and there are no sexual situations or nudity in sight. I am completely baffled by the rating as I feel the movie itself should be geared toward it’s target audience which is children. It’s dark and sophisticated enough for adults – but is approached in a gentle manner that would allow children to follow Sally’s adventure without being overwhelmed.
In the end, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a beautiful piece of cinema, but fans of Del Toro will find it much too derivative of his other works such as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. The movie opens with a horrifying sequence – and then settles in for an atmospheric exploration of it’s secrets for the remainder of it’s running time – only kicking into high gear in the final reel. I think it would have performed much stronger at the box office with a PG-13 rating – which seems much more reasonable than it’s bizarre R-rating.
Streebo gives Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark a 7 out of 10 on the Streebo Scream-O-Meter. If you’re looking for a horror film to take your entire family to see – then this is the one you’re looking for. As Joe Bob Briggs would say – CHECK IT OUT!!!
You can watch Streebo’s entire spoiler free review below:
