Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Horrorphile

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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

November 4th 2011 03:29

I haven’t seen the original TV movie from 1973 but Guillermo Del Toro who produced and co-wrote the screenplay for the remake, directed by Troy Nixey, has dropped the ball. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010) is a very ordinary, run-of-the-mill haunted house tale-cum-creature feature that will probably appeal to young adolescents, but will only make the adult horror fans yawn.

Alex (Guy Pearce) has moved into a huge deceased estate mansion with his new partner Kim (Katie Holmes), and his daughter from a previous marriage, Sally (Bailee Madison). Sally is none too happy with the new arrangements, particularly as she isn’t fond of Kim. But once a secret door has been discovered, that leads down to a creepy basement where the previous owner painted (amongst other things), she finds herself preoccupied and more than a little fascinated.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Bailee Madison

Bailee Madison as Sally

Kim tries her darnedest to make friends with sullen Sally, while Alex plays the father-out-of-reach. Sally soon finds other beings to distract her; the rat-like demon creatures that dwell in the mansion’s subterranean depths. But these hideous beasties, which talk with human voices, and whisper Sally’s name in the dark, are not of the befriending kind. They don’t have a benevolent bone in their tiny bodies. Small they may be, but they come in numbers, and they are vicious little things.

Guy Pearce as Alex

Sally finds herself trying to convince Alex and Kim and whoever will listen, that they are in danger. Harris (Jack Thompson), the gardener, runs afoul. Kim and Alex eventually find the truth, but is it all too late?

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes as Kim

Guillermo Del Toro, being a huge fan of H.P. Lovecraft, found himself irrestiably drawn to the source material. The story takes place in Providence, Rhode Island, the home of Lovecraft. It is Lovecraft’s short story, The Rats in the Walls, which inspired the film, but Guillermo’s done better Lovecraftian work, and, in fact, his greatest Lovecraft adaptation is yet to come (At the Mountains of Madness).

The acting is less-than-impressive with Jack Thompson delivering one of the worst American accents I’ve heard in a while and looking like he’d prefer to be elsewhere (probably sitting around a campfire reading classic Australian fare). Katie Holmes, who it seems is trying to revive her non-existent acting career, is in a thankless role, and only comes into her own during the movie’s climax, where she finally breaks a leg, as the theatre saying goes.

The vanished painter prepares his offering

Guy Pearce, what a waste of talent there. He sleep walks through the role, about as interested in what’s going on as Jack is, which isn’t much. It’s frustrating seeing a great actor performing in such a mediocre fashion. But the truth of the matter is, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark just isn’t much in the first place. It’s a handsomely mounted TV movie that barely raises an eyebrow of fear for the horrorphiles. Disappointing considering Del Toro rates the original TV movie as the scariest (TV movie) ever made. There are a couple of nasty moments that caused me to grimace; classic Del Toro moments in fact; a chisel to the front teeth and the explicit snapping of a shin bone. Ow!

A wee plug for Polaroid

Del Toro might have delivered a runt with this one, but he’s still tops in my books. I’m looking forward to seeing his Director’s Cut of Mimic (1997) that’s recently been released on the domestic market, and of course, his monster movie, Pacific Rim, that he’s currently shooting (as he had to shelve Lovecraft until he can find a studio that will give him $150m and let him make an adult movie, such as an MPAA hard-R). In the meantime do be afraid of the dark … because it isn’t very scary. Hmmm, that doesn’t make much sense now, does it? Stupid name for a horror movie anyway!

Here’s the trailer:

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