|
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
| Released |
7 October 2011 |
| Director |
Troy Nixey |
Starring
|
Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes, Bailee Madison, Jack Thompson |
Writer(s)
|
Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins |
Producer(s)
|
Mark Johnson, Guillermo del Toro |
| Origin |
United States, Australia, Mexico |
| Running Time |
99 minutes |
| Genre |
Horror, thriller |
| Rating |
16 |
|
|
Guillermo del Bore-o.
The film ratings board in the United States, the MPAA, are notoriously conservative. I had no idea though that they were such a bunch of scaredy cats. While the producers of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (including Guillermo del Toro) were aiming for a PG 13, they received an R rating for “violence and terror.” While I can maybe see where they’re coming from with respect to the violence, terror is one thing that this film (rated 16 in Ireland) is sadly missing.
Adapted from a 1970s TV movie, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark takes place in a gothic mansion which sports beautiful stained glass work, great original woodwork and an infestation of light-hating, murderous gremlins on a quest for childs’ teeth. The mansion is being renovated by Alex (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend Kim (Katie Homes). Alex’s daughter Sally (Baille Madison), is a vulnerable, introverted child who has recently been sent to live with her father. After initially trying to befriend the creatures that live there, Sally is soon terrified when they turn violent and try to claim her for their underground lair.
Much has been made of the look of this film; and it’s true director Troy Nixey does have a good eye for design. But therein lies the central problem - the film is so visibly “designed” that it never manages to reach the level of creepiness it needs to. The monsters admittedly, look great -each one with slight variations but all looking vaguely like Christopher Walken in Sleepy Hollow. The house itself is a problem; very beautiful but too perfect. It never feels like a real place, more like the latest attraction at a theme park - too safe to be in any way scary. After an admittedly squirm inducing first scene, in which we see some genuinely unpleasant improvised dentistry, the film itself becomes quite toothless.
Only occasionally does it manage to raise the pulse thanks to a couple of pared back set pieces where Bailee Madison is left to her own devices; notably the scene that takes place at bathtime. Madison is in fact, the best asset the film has - an assured young performer. On the whole though, with a script that relies heavily on coincidence and cliché and a distinct lack of “terror”, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is disappointing. Rewatch The Orphanage instead.
-
Linda O’Brien |
