Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a 2010 American supernatural horror film directed by Troy Nixey in his directorial debut, produced by Guillermo del Toro, and written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins. It stars Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison, and Alan Dale. The film centers on a little girl who, after moving to a new house with her father and his girlfriend, finds a hidden basement which contains a door to a secret world of small, dark creatures.
The film was released on August 12, 2010, by FilmDistrict. Despite generally positive reviews from critics, it was a box office bomb, grossing only $32 million against its $25 million budget.
Bailey Madison as Sally Hurst, a girl who moves to Rhode Island with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes)
Guy Pearce as Alex Hurst, Sally’s father
Katie Holmes as Kim, Alex’s girlfriend and Sally’s stepmother
Bailee Madison as Young Sally
Alan Dale as Mr. Harris, the Hurst’s neighbor
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a 2010 American supernatural horror film directed by Troy Nixey in his directorial debut, produced by Guillermo del Toro, and written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins. It stars Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison, and Alan Dale. The film centers on a little girl who, after moving to a new house with her father and his girlfriend, finds a hidden basement which contains a door to a secret world of small, dark creatures.
The film was released on August 12, 2010, by FilmDistrict. Despite generally positive reviews from critics, it was a box office bomb, grossing only $32 million against its $25 million budget.
DBAOTD is a remake of a 1970’s movie of the same name, no surprise there since most movies coming out of Hollywood are remakes but nevertheless is this movie any good in it’s own right? In this reviewers humble opinion that answer is a definitive: no.
Produced by Guillermo Del Toro, DBAOTD is just too lame a movie to be worthy of being something Del Toro would green light. I had high hopes for this movie but sadly none of them have materialised. The movie is boring. The monsters are tiny little things that gang up on folks in groups (like gremlins, except the gremlins were scarier) they don’t look scary and i guess that’s because they’re not scary. Heck, these little things have a hard time taking down a little girl, yet they can pull a full grown adult down a huge shaft, bit of an inconsistency there.
There’s no gore in DBAOTD very very little, hell there’s hardly any blood seen at all. Most of the movie is spent delving into the little girls frustrations about the way her family life has disintegrated and how nobody will believe her when she starts seeing the creatures. It’s just boring quite frankly.
One good aspect i can mention about this movie is the acting standard. The movies cast put in solid performances and deliver their characters nuances perfectly but it still doesn’t change the fact this movie is boring.
It’s a slow hog before this movie starts to swing into full gear and when it does it comes off as being ‘horror lite’. It’s a horror movie for kids in my opinion. I found the movies ending to be very unsatisfying and really quite unbelievable also. As it stands i can’t recommend Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, it’s just too damn boring.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is a creepy, atmospheric horror film that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Guillermo del Toro’s fingerprints are all over this movie, from the production design to the creatures, and it’s a visual feast. The acting is strong all around, but Bailee Madison is a stand-out as the young Sally. If you’re looking for a scary movie that’s also intelligent and well-made, look no further than Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.
Synopsis
Sally Hurst (Bailee Madison) is a lonely, withdrawn child who moves with her father, Alex (Guy Pearce), and her stepmother, Kim (Katie Holmes), to the 19th-century Mercer House in Rhode Island. Soon after they move in, Sally begins to see strange creatures in the house’s dark basement, and she soon learns that these creatures are attracted to the light.
In an attempt to make friends, Sally begins to explore the house’s dark basement, where she finds a hidden door. Behind the door is a staircase that leads to a strange world inhabited by small, dark creatures. These creatures are attracted to the light, and they soon begin to torment Sally.
In an effort to protect Sally, Kim and Alex begin to investigate the creatures. They soon discover that the creatures are actually fairies, and that they are attracted to the light because they are looking for a way to escape the darkness.
The fairies soon begin to take over the house, and they begin to torment the family. In an effort to protect his family, Alex sets fire to the house, trapping the fairies inside. The fire kills the fairies, and the family is left to rebuild their lives.
Movie Details
Director: Troy Nixey
Writer: Guillermo del Toro
Actors: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison
Release Year: 2010