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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

November. 06,2010
|
5.5
|
R
| Fantasy Horror Thriller
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A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own.

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Reviews

SnoReptilePlenty
2010/11/06

Memorable, crazy movie

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VeteranLight
2010/11/07

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

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Beanbioca
2010/11/08

As Good As It Gets

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Maleeha Vincent
2010/11/09

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

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fedor8
2010/11/10

A fairly sadistic and brutal opening scene, especially for what is basically a commercial horror flick with a little brat in the lead role. However, it gets comparatively tame after that. The premise of vicious little monsters who talk like Gollum is cute and fun, but the plot is quite undisciplined, the writer simply ignoring loose ends in order to move the story forward. For example, after the fat Aussie is attacked, neither the cops nor the Pearce are even a tiny bit curious about how you can "accidentally" get stabbed in several places with sharp objects just by working in a house. Nor do we find out whether Pearce and Holmes are shown the Polaroids that the brat made during the party in the library. The ending makes little sense: Katie Holmes's voice van be heard whispering to the little Gollums. So did she become one of them? Why and how?

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bryangl
2010/11/11

Yes, there are illogicalities and loose ends; yes, some characters could have been written with more depth. And, if you want a high-action film, this is not for you.BUT, the story, despite some holes, is carefully crafted to slowly and inexorably build to its climax. The many clichés in fact are used constructively (including a backward glance to Hitchcock), in the environment of a wonderful, beautifully detailed and atmospheric house, in superb and equally atmospheric gardens. The period is Victorian (the location footage of house - modified exterior - and gardens being shot in the state of Victoria in Australia!).The cinematographer capitalises on these settings with excellent lighting (careful use of not always letting you see what you may wish to see), complemented by very good editing (plus a skilled colourist). The acting is excellent (even if Pearce isn't given much to work with) and the young daughter is a stand-out. All of this bound by a good, although much as might be expected, score.I suspect many of the negative reviews are by people impatient for a story to reach a high pitch, or for a succession of never before seen thrills. But, instead, if you let yourself go and allow the clever construction of the elements used in the films' development to work their whiles; sit back and go with carefully controlled pacing, then there is much here to enjoy.

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Davis P
2010/11/12

Don't be afraid of the dark is apparently a remake of an old made for TV movie, had no clue it was, but that's just some background for ya. First I would like to praise the cast and acting, both were very good I thought. First of all Katie Holmes was great in the film and I really thought she was the best part, she was touching in some scenes and then very serious and dramatic in others, which was called for. Then there's Bailee Madison, who is our star, I thought she showed impressive acting skills for her age, if she chooses I'm sure that a Hollywood career could be in her future. She was very focused and very centered in her role, and I was actually really impressed that her performance wasn't cheesy or over-the-top. Guy Pearce was all right, but to be honest, I think that just about anyone could've played his role and done well with it/fit it. Now the CGI little creatures the crawl around and terrorize throughout the film were a little lackluster looking and it just wasn't scary at all. I really was hoping that don't be afraid of the dark would have some scariness to it and maybe some creepiness, but it seems to me that the only creepy parts were the very beginning and the very ending scenes. But I think the reason I liked it better than I probably thought I would have is because of Katie Holmes and Bailee Madison, they really just made up for what the movie was lacking, not all of it though. I had to take off points for the lack of creepiness/scariness and the CGI creatures that ultimately disappointed. Overall this gets a 7/10.

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PandoraProductions4
2010/11/13

I am truly shocked that this film has such a low IMDb rating. Here is a finely crafted, skilfully directed, well acted, and beautifully filmed fantasy horror film. It is a shame that a good film like this has to be lumped with the likes of standard horror movie crap. I was hypnotized by the visuals, which reminded me of the great film Pan's Labyrinth (both films come from the same creator, Spanish director Guillermo Del Toro). Since nobody else seems to want to defend this movie, I will. It is based off an earlier TV movie of the same name which apparently inspired Del Toro to become a filmmaker. Sally (Bailee Madison) comes to live with her father (Guy Pierce) and his girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in their newly refurbished manor. This place has a history of death, in fact the last owner of it mysteriously vanished. Soon it becomes clear to Sally that there is something else living in the house with them, an ancient presence that whispers through the walls and that leaves coins under pillows in exchange for teeth. . . . Of course, nobody believes Sally, until it's too late! One of the things I really like about the film is it's look. I like the use of colour throughout, especially the autumn hues. Outside the house is always portrayed as cold, with shades of blue and grey. We are always drawn back into the interior of the house, with it's cozy shades of orange, yellow, and brown. I feel like the makers of this really put a lot of effort into making each shot look great, and it really pays off. The acting is good. Pierce and Holmes are competent, but the show is really stolen by Madison. She is very convincing as a girl haunted by demons, she seems actually terrified, and the film becomes all the more scarier because of it. There's only one jump scare in the entire film, that I remember, and it's not unfairly placed. This film doesn't limit itself to horror clichés, but delves deeper into the fantasy realm, which I appreciated. The atmosphere is palpable throughout. To finish off, I would completely recommend this film for lovers of fantasy horror. It's worth checking out.

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