Is it possible that a movie designed to scare the bejeezus out if you can still be a quality work even without that many scares? I wouldn't have thought so before seeing the Guillermo del Toro produced and co-written (with Matthew Robbins) DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, a re-working of the 1973 made-for-TV movie that was broadcast in something of a hey-day for horror films on television. The production design is magnificent, the acting is flawless, and the rendering of the tiny monsters that terrorize little Sally (a phenomenal Bailee Madison) because they want to eat her teeth (and probably her soul while they're at it). And while are enough creep-filled moments to keep things fun, I only remember being truly scared a couple of times, but that didn't make me like the film any less because there's still a wonderful story and direction by newcomer Troy Nixey.
DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK opens with an absolutely killer sequence set many years in the past where a man lures a maid into his basement, ties her up, and knocks out her teeth as a kind of gift to unseen evil demons. But they are not pleased since they specifically told him they needed children's teeth, and his punishment is pretty grotesque. Skip ahead to the present day when Sally arrives in the house, recently purchased by her architect father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend, Kim (Katie Holmes). We find out that Sally has been living with her mother, who for whatever reason no longer wants her around, and this has clearly taken its toll on Sally's self-esteem. Kim is going out of her way to bond with Sally, but it's a losing battle. Alex is focused on his career and fixing up the house in time to show it off for a possible profile in an architecture magazine.
So Sally has this Gothic adventureland all to herself, and as she explores, she uncovers signs that there may be a dark presence buried deep beneath the property, so naturally, she does what she can to unleash it. It goes without saying that everything Sally hears and sees is doubted by her elders, and everything destructive that happens in the house is blamed on the girl and not her new, ghastly little friends. Director Nixey does a great job building the suspense at a pace that doesn't take too long, but doesn't feel rushed either. I like the way he hides the creatures or shows them only in glimpses of them at exactly the right moments.
Production designer Roger Ford does an astonishing job of creating this perfect home for exploring, and if I were a little kid, there's no way I could resist the temptation to open every door and walk up and down every set of ornate stairs. At some point in the film's final act, things go from being scary to be dangerous, and Madison does such a terrifically convincing job of turning from scared little girl (whose curiosity seems to trump even the most terrifying moments) to fighter against a force that is hell bent on killing her family.
I think it's fair to say that while my anxiety levels were certainly elevated watching DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, I don't remember being especially spooked. Perhaps that's because this film feels more sophisticated in its approach to horror (as compared to something like the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY movies or INSIDIOUS, all of which I truly enjoyed), but that certainly doesn't across as arty or anything but pure entertainment. Tension and suspense are powerful tools, just as much as making us jump in our seats is. Push your expectations aside, and just allow the film to be what it is. I think you'll appreciate and enjoy it so much more doing so.
