Don't be Afraid of the Dark 2011
(Starring: Katie Holmes, Bailee Madison, Guy Pearce, Jack Thompson, Guillermo Del Toro and Directed by: Troy Nixey)
After a young girl is sent to live with her estranged father and his new girlfriend at their new home, she not only holds onto some resentment, but soon makes some very disturbing friends. Her father, Alex who has plans to reconstruct the home with the help of his interior decorator girlfriend, Kim, and sale it to the highest bidder soon starts to stress over what he believes to be his daughter’s anxiety rages, and the fact that his dream of finally being noticed will soon quickly vanish.
The previous owner of the home was a famous painter who mysteriously disappeared and Alex's daughter, Sally, soon discovers the cause of the painter's disappearance. Her new friends are not friends at all but little demons hell vent on using her to fulfill the ritual they have managed to get away with for centuries. Although the relationship between stepmom, Kim and Sally begins with a rough start, Kim soon starts to believe the little creatures exist and vows to protect Sally from any danger.
This movie truly surprised me as I was a big fan of the original TV movie released in 1973. I admit I did have my doubts that the new version will never live up to its standards, but am grateful presenter Guillermo Del Toro managed to prove me wrong. The creatures didn’t come close to being as scary as the ones created in the original film, but I did appreciate the effort and experienced somewhat the same affect I did when I viewed the first version as a child.
For those who love horror this one is strongly recommended. One of the very best 2011 had to offer and one that will remind you why you must be “afraid of the dark.”
Susan B. Anna
