Recensioni degli utenti

Theres alot of people who dont seem to understand how a scale of 1 to 10 works on imbd. I get if you didnt like it, i get if u didnt think it was scary, but if you give this a 1 then either you havnt seen very many movies or you dont know how bad some movies actually are. There were deffinatly problems with this one. The characters were pretty unlikable in fact i cant think of 1 character i cared about and yes the cgi faries were shown a bit much and wernt really that great but how many cgi horror movies actually worked great? They did have a creepy feel to them especially their voices beconing sally to come and play in the dark. The atmosphere was good the house was beautiful and was used very well the cinamatography was good the actors, while unlikable, were fine for the most part. The sound effects were all fine for this movie. All in all its probably not gona be on anyones top 10 but its worth a watch

I do not know where all of these other cynical, angry reviews are coming from. Sure they showed the 'goblins' in abundance, but this isn't your typical jump-scare movie; which is fine by me. This was more of a fantasy-horror film where you are supposed to be as much enthralled by the creatures as you are 'afraid' of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the creatures looked, moved, and acted. It reminded me of a more modern-made version of the little imps from the movie "The Gate." Instead of dreading them and being on the edge of my seat, I was waiting to see them and their antics again. Perhaps that's why the other reviewers are angry. Perhaps this film has been mis-marketed.

If you like creepy little bipedal monsters that look like imps/goblins, then this movie is for you. If you like fantasy monsters and played Dungeons and Dragons as a kid then you will enjoy this film. If you enjoy medieval European folklore and cryptozoology then you will be as entertained as I was.

Katie Holmes performed beautifully and Pearce performed very well, as he always does. I liked the old house and garden, and the horrifying creatures were quite imaginative.

But one thing I hate in these kind of movies is people behaving stupidly.

There were opportunities to grab a weapon of some kind, but the characters wandered around with just flashlights. There were multiple opportunities for the adults to crush the creatures, but the only one who did so was the 8 year old girl.

The young girl was not likable - she brought on the crisis by discovering the basement, and for no good reason, opening up the sealed exit for the creatures.

Pros: beautiful scenery/sets, a few good jumps, and about 5-10 minutes of eerie atmosphere

Cons: not very scary, too much CGI'd gremlins, and a very predictable/slow plot

Conclusion: rent the original and skip this remake

The much anticipated, by me, remake of the 1973 made for TV movie of the same name left me feeling extremely disappointed. The plot was fairly simple. A young girl Sally (Bailee Madison) moves in with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes), into a house Alex and Kim are fixing up to sell. Soon upon arriving, adventurous Sally discovers the house has a basement and that the family is not alone. The basement's fireplace is inhabited by little CGI'd creatures that terrorize the family, especially Sally. The actors I felt all did an adequate job playing their parts, especially young Sally (Bailee Madison), who played a convincingly cynical little girl fed up with being 'sold' by her mother to live with her father. Overall the movie was very predictable and offered very few scary moments. The creatures from the original, people dressed in little goblin costumes, were sparingly showed. I think it was way more effective than the over-shown little gremlins in this movie, which looked to me like Chihuahuas that could speak. Save your money and skip this one!

I'm not sure why this movie is attracting such average reviews? Perhaps it's because it's not as good as the original, a movie I've never seen? Or maybe viewers were expecting a goretastic horror flick, with buckets of blood and walls splattered with entrails?

Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised by this wonderfully crafted flick. Like many Guillermo films it's got the whole "slightly creepy fantasy story" ambiance to it. I couldn't fault the movie's super slick production values, with exquisite sets and wonderful acting, especially Bailee Maddison's amazing performance. She's going to go far.

My only complaint are the occasional "As if they'd do that..." moments, but show me a horror movie that doesn't have one or two of those and I'll eat my DVD collection. Overall a great film for those looking for a traditional monster film that's usually very creepy, occasionally very scary, and always well made.

When I first heard about the plot of the "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" remake, I was disappointed that they decided to add the unnecessary element of a child to the story. Ironically, the portrayal of the daughter by Bailee Madison was one of the few highlights this movie had to offer. With all the creepy Gothic imagery, spiderwebs and shadows, this movie failed to create any of the suspense generated by the fairly moderate surroundings of the original. The CGI demons were absolutely ridiculous, and with complete certainty I can state that the raisin- faced-doll demons of the 40-year-old original TV movie were much creepier. Katie Holmes, although likable, must be one of the world's worst actresses, unable of conjuring up any emotion other then a perky turned up nose for all occasions. It is truly remarkable to see her constantly upstaged by the child actress in this film who forces you to believe everything she is feeling. I can only recommend this as a starter horror film for young children, or background TV while you pay your bills online - you won't miss anything.

The scenery of the film is breath-taking. The house is exquisite, and as always, del Toro does an immaculate job creating an ominous and foreboding mood. The scares in this movie are well thought out and are not the cheap thrills Hollywood has come to depend on, and the film did a good job building momentum.

However, that being said, the plot and its lack of logicality stop the film dead in its tracks. The stupidity of the film goes beyond the typical, "No, don't go in there!" that one typically expects in a horror film. The ridiculousness of the characters' actions makes this film frustrating and near impossible to appreciate.

I saw this film because I love "haunted house" films, I'm an old Katie Holmes fan from her Dawson's Creek Days, and I think Bailee Madison is adorable, and therefore, I'm awarding one point for each redeeming quality in the movie - 1) awesome scenery, 2) Katie Holmes, and 3) Bailee Madison.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is exactly the kind of horror movie you want to hate. It's a remake, it involves a child in peril, and it contains some (and I say "some") very nasty violence. Just watch--you'll have trouble hating it.

Guillermo del Toro's new collaborative effort with first-time director Troy Nixey is, simply put, horror done right. There's a lot here that can be found in any horror movie that comes out now, but this one succeeds for relying on tone and setting rather than blood and guts. The acting from all three leads is surprisingly good, and Nixey shines as well behind the camera.

However, at the heart of the film is a ballsy story co-written by del Toro that really keeps the film stable. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is originally based on a 1973 British TV movie that has been hailed as one of the scariest movies ever made. The remake features a new main character: Sally, a child, played by Bailee Madison. Sally moves into a new Gothic mansion with her father (Guy Pearce) and a new stepmother (Katie Holmes). There, she discovers a ventilation system where she hears breathy voices calling to play with her. At first, the voices are friendly. Then, they're vicious and violent.

The violence of the movie is one of the reasons why this movie succeeds so nicely. The first scene is grisly and is, without a doubt, the reason why Don't Be Afraid of the Dark earned its R-rating rather than its intended PG-13. There isn't constant violence. In fact, there isn't even that much of it. Most of it is bloodless, but all of it is enough to make us squeamish and afraid.

Another area in which the movie excels in that respect is its design. The mansion that Nixey and del Toro chose is gorgeous. The intense lighting, which Nixey noted as "inspired by Rembrandt" in the Q&A following the film, is moody and adds to the heavy tone of the movie. The house is just creepy on its own, but it becomes creepier thanks to the creature design. Unlike what the trailer tells you, the creatures are pretty tiny. What creeped me out about them was the loud, shrill screeches they let out. It'll give you chills. Keep a keen ear and listen for del Toro, as he voices a few of the creatures.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is a very fun and very creepy horror movie experience. Though not without its flaws, it has a strong story stabilized by good characters and a surprisingly dark ending, and it's got some good acting too. It's hard not to be absorbed in the mesmerizing light pools of the mansion, and it's even harder not to be entertained. As usual in del Toro films, darkness and unseen monsters reign, and as usual, it's pretty damn unnerving.

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is a film with a good horror-fantasy plot but not very well executed, the cinematography does its job, the acting is good but the direction is weak. It could be a better film.

The idea behind DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK has potential. It's a remake of one of those classic 1970s TV horrors with Guillermo del Toro as one of the scriptwriters, no less. It starts off with potential, featuring a leading role from Guy Pearce (always a favourite) and some great set design and dressing in the form of a huge, crumbling old mansion complete with hidden rooms and passageways.

And slowly, bit by bit, the potential ebbs away, leaving this a soulless and artificial experience. It ends up being overexposed and under-written, a jumble of pointless scare sequences and endless CGI nonsense as the inhabitants of the household are repeatedly put at the mercy of some unwelcome critters. In some ways it's like a modern day GREMLINS, and it has a very childish feel to it despite the adult rating. There are parallels to other del Toro fare like PAN'S LABYRINTH but this is nowhere near that kind of calibre. The only thing it makes me want to do is track down the original.

The film I most likened it to was, in fact, an obscure early '90s B-movie called LITTLE DEVILS: THE BIRTH, which was much better in terms of pure, unashamed fun - the effects were better too. DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK is just lazy, with cheesy CGI and only one good scare all the way through. Finally, the cast is underwhelming: Pearce is a sleepwalker, Katie Holmes embarrassed, and Bailee Madison once of the most irritating child actors I've seen in a while. Still, at least Pearce got to team up with NEIGHBOURS' Alan Dale (aka Jim Robinson) for a couple of scenes...

Well. Where to start?

This is a film that starts badly, and save two relatively well executed scenes, gets worse. If you have seen the original seventies TV movie you will be sorely disappointed. What made the original frightening was the bareness of the plot, the ordinariness of the location and the bleakness of the ending. All of these elements have been removed. The story is over written, the location of overly ornate, and the ending, although quite nasty, is not as disturbing as it should have been. Add to this the frankly deplorable CGI and iffy direction. Well...

The kid is good though (that's where the 4 points comes from)

Verdict: Don't be afraid of avoiding don't be afraid of the dark

Sam, Tyler & I just finished watching "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark."

It is the 2010 version of this movie with Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce.

To be perfectly honest, I was not expecting much from this film.

...especially ( especially!) after watching the opening sequence, which was far too violent, by my estimation.

That is to say, I do not have a problem with movies that are extremely violent in nature; when priorly, I've foreknowledge this is the type of film genre I am attending...

After viewing the opening and closing sequences, I stand by this opinion. To me, the movie's story is rich enough on its own without having to attempt to appeal to the lowest common denominator of genre-hopping-ticket-sales.

Oddly enough, I was extremely surprised to log onto the IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/) And learn that my estimation of this film was so far off the general public's opinion.

Usually, I am able to guess-timate mass ticket appeal of a given film; however, having genuinely enjoyed the movie, I was way off-base. According to the public ranking on IMDb.com, the movie was only awarded 5 stars, out of 10 when I, myself, would have approximates a mass public opinion in the proximity of 6.5 to seven.

Anyway, if you enjoy suspense and are able to avert your eyes during two especially gory scenes, you will find this movie very appealing.

In an age where the term "horror movie" is synonymous with blood and guts, every so often one comes along that decides to buck the trend. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is one such movie. An atmospheric, slow-building, suspenseful, flawed masterpiece, this film grabs at the nerves and dangles them in front of the blade until those moments when it saws at them with a relentless zeal. Guillermo Del Toro is a man known for generally imbuing greatness into any film he produces or directs. The Orphanage. Pan's Labyrinth. Hellboy. All of these have been slathered with his special sauce. This time, I have to admit, I had my doubts. With director Troy Nixey, a former comic book artist, helming this movie, I was skeptical that this guy would be able to to avoid the appearance of being a novie, first time director. Fortunately, I was proven wrong. The thing about this movie that's most flawed is not Nixey's more-than-adequate direction. The weak point is, in fact, the screenplay, which focuses too much on the family drama, rather than the scares. Granted, the scenes between the main characters are sufficiently emotionally charged to be worth paying attention to, they ultimately do not mean much to the story. The horror scenes, however, are so damned effective, so well-done, that they manage to put the great majority of modern horror pieces to shame. You will feel your heart beating against your chest as multitudes of miniscule creatures skitter towards the protagonists with a bloodthirsty hunger. You will feel the realization as... well, you'll find out. Though this isn't the perfect horror movie, it is a great modern example of the genre. A stark, suspenseful trip through an aboveground Hell that any horror fan cannot afford to miss.

Like Guillermo del Toro and countless other kids, I saw the original Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) on TV and lost some sleep to visions of goblins in the midnight shadows. This remake pays perfect tribute to its anscestor film, while reinventing the story with the dark fairy tale depth which del Toro is known for. The director, Troy Nixey, avoids pointless gore or boo scenes, using his cinematic tools wisely to build toward the inevitable critical mass. The creators of the film realize it is not the shock of things we see, but rather what is implied and left to imagination. Like the best horror films, simple elements blend to evoke emotions. Shadows swirl against a mansion as eerie as the Overlook Hotel, and the perfectly cast trio of Sally (Bailee Madison), Kim (Katie Holmes), and Alex (Guy Pearce) endure torments therein. Much has already been made of amazing young Bailee Madison and Pearce is solid as a man driven by career pressure, but Holmes--not a favorite of mine--is surprisingly agile in the role of the awkward girlfriend. Much like Naomi Watts in The Ring (2002), she plays a believable protector. Marco Beltrami's music sounds old school and builds up the Gothic art and sets well. The cinematography by Oliver Stapleton is dark and at times borders on dank and drab, but serves the story well. I would not ruin the succulent scares with spoilers, but suffice to say that the creators manage to expand the tale by linking the wicked imps of the movie to folklore and traditions (tooth fairies). Key scenes, such as a dinner, are clear homages to the original, and the finale pays the piper with Grimm satisfaction. Despite sometimes weak CGI, this movie honors its creepy roots with style. Other reviews have been moderate to harsh, and I suspect the reviewers expected something more akin to Pan's Labyrinth. Nevertheless, if you like crafty and creepy horror films, see Don't Be Afraid of the Dark in a dark theater!