Don´t Be Afraid Of The Dark

If you by any chance have not seen The Orphanage, i might have to give you a true Bitch Slap. This movie is one of the best horror movies since the millenium, so there is no excuse not to see it. Producer Guillermo del Toro did a hell of a great job with director Juan Antonio Bayona, they found the perfect balance between old school horror with a fresh twist. When i heard about a remake of the 1973 motion picture Don´t Be Afraid Of The Dark, i did not have high expectations. With a cast of Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce and Bailee Madison, does this remake give you any chills at all?

Alex Hearst ( Guy Pearce ), Kim ( Katie Holmes ), and Sally Hearst ( Bailee Madison ) move into Blackwood Manor, a very old mansion, located in  Providence County, Rhode Island. Alex daughter Sally does not want to live here, even if her mom send her to stay with her father. While staying at the mansion, Sally discovers a basement, wich seems to have a lot of material left by painter Lord Blackwood. While she look around, she start to hear voices from the old fireplace. She begins to open the fireplace, not knowing what is waiting for her and her family.

I have said this before, but Guillermo del Toro is a very talented film maker, and most of the time he is involved in a motion picture, you know he will deliver quality. Now, this is not as frightning as The Orphanage, or as well made. But still, Don´t Be Afraid Of The Dark is quite a pleasant remake, with a strong performance by very young Bailee Madison. The creatures are quite creepy, with their odd looks. On the negative side, it might be that there are plenty of old house horror movies out there, that we have seen this before. But thankfully director Troy Nixey try and add some suprises along the way, wich is necessary. If you´re tired of the usual high school slashers, then this might actually please you. And who would have thought Katie Holmes can deliver a good performance?

Rating: DDD