[7.00/10] Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (2011)

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011)

Brief review: Are you afraid of the dark? You should be. And you will be, after you see Troy Nixey's effective and surprisingly scary remake of the 1973 ABC made-for-TV movie of the same name. There was something uniquely sinister about the original "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" movie, that the 2011 version is lacking, however, Nixey's recreation has its own strengths and moments of horror brilliance. Despite the predictability of the script and a couple of rushed scenes, the story is well-built and offers a descent amount of genuine scares and tension along the way, plus, the movie's taut direction and smooth pacing make it constantly entertaining from beginning to the end. With its ominous atmosphere, dark and gloomy settings, eerie sound effects and murky cinematography, this artfully-crafted little chiller will make your skin crawl. The hidden basement of the lavish old house is as creepy as it can get, the stunningly-designed little ancient demons are scary as hell, and the heavy emphasis on blacks and shadows suits the grim tone of the story. The darkly charming Bailee Madison is impressive as the uneasy, yet clever Sally, and both, Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce are very convincing, if slightly underwritten, as the busy renovators.

Overall summary: Although it's fairly predictable and lacks the haunting chills of the original, "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" is still an effective and visually-atmospheric horror remake, that delivers plenty of solid scares, good old-fashioned thrills and some truly creepy images.