Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

R

Released Aug 26, 2011

1h 39m

Fantasy

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

60%

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176 Reviews

34%

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25,000+ Ratings

Lonely and introverted, young Sally (Bailee Madison) has just arrived at the 19th-century mansion that her father (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend (Katie Holmes) are restoring. While exploring the sprawling estate, Sally discovers a hidden, long-undisturbed basement. Unwittingly, she unleashes a race of malevolent, dark-dwelling creatures who intend to drag her and her family down into the mansion's bottomless depths. A remake of the 1973 made-for-TV movie.

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Critics Consensus

While it's pleasantly atmospheric and initially quite scary, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark ultimately fails to deliver the skin-crawling chills of the original.

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

You can sense producer and cowriter Guillermo del Toro’s hand in every shadowy nook and cranny.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 1, 2024

Full Review

Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Next to Attack the Block, this beautifully realized bit of H.P. Lovecraft-like nastiness might just be the most fun I've had sitting in a theatre this entire Summer, the final product a B-grade sensation worthy of adoration.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 27, 2012

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is horror by-the-numbers. Parts of it are effectively chilling, and the performances are fine, but there's no sense of reality.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 3, 2011

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Guillermo del Toro has always been fascinated with putting a face to our nightmares. And to be sure, many moviegoers will have nightmares from Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 9, 2023

Full Review

Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

It does come off as a slightly watered-down Pan's Labyrinth - it steps towards the abyss of strangeness but never quite leaps off

Jan 10, 2022

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Like it's predecessor, one of the most unique aspects is the creature design, utilizing tiny, misshapen, devilish critters scurrying around on the ground like oversized rats.

Rated: 6/10

Nov 30, 2020

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craig w

I liked the set up and the atmosphere was different a dark fairytale with a great build to the final scenes

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

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Regina P

I don't really have any specific complaints about this story. It was fine. It just didn't wow me.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/24/23

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Catie L

It's not super "horror" but it's pretty creepy in all regards. Gave me nightmares after I watched it the first time

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/27/23

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Jackie

This was a high budget movie. The visuals were nice and all but it's such a shame that the directing didn't match up… it was really bad. It was very predictable and a lot of scenes were actually funny instead of scary.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Onia T

When I was 5 this scared me so much I hide the DVD at the top of my closet, I'm 17 now I watched the trailer and it scared me again. I both want to watch it again and don't because it scared me.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/09/23

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Audience Member

Goosebumps level scariness with better production values. The creepy creatures are nice but the whole thing is standardly standard.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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Troy Nixey

Director

Katie Holmes

Kim Raphael

Guy Pearce

Alex Hurst

Bailee Madison

Sally Hurst

Jack Thompson

Harris

Garry McDonald

Emerson Blackwood

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Synopsis

Lonely and introverted, young Sally (Bailee Madison) has just arrived at the 19th-century mansion that her father (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend (Katie Holmes) are restoring. While exploring the sprawling estate, Sally discovers a hidden, long-undisturbed basement. Unwittingly, she unleashes a race of malevolent, dark-dwelling creatures who intend to drag her and her family down into the mansion's bottomless depths. A remake of the 1973 made-for-TV movie.

Director: Troy Nixey
Producer: Mark Johnson, Guillermo del Toro
Screenwriter: Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins
Distributor: FilmDistrict
Production Co: Necropia, Gran Via
Rating: R (Violence|Terror)
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 8, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.0M
Runtime: 1h 39m

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