Ushered into existence by executive producer and co-writer Guillermo Del Toro the remake of DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK comes from an thirteen year old script that appears to be aimed at thirteen year olds.
Sally comes to stay with her Daddy Guy Pierce who is renovating what looks like the Disney HAUNTED MANSION ride, a colossal soundstage set house where you could stage an entire performance of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in the hall complete with audience and prop chandelier. Daddy also has a new girlfriend in Katie (she'll always be lovely Joey from Dawson's Creek to me) whom little Sally doesn't like but who is the only person to believe the girl when she starts seeing little spruces running out of the air ducts and murdering the house staff.
The story is mostly a predictable lump with dull first and second acts and reLly only coming into it's own in the final third of the film. Based on an hour long made for TV special there is a bit of padding out of the run time. Unfortunately Del Toro has already scavenged this script for his Tooth Fairies in HELLBOY 2 and parts of PAN'S LABYRINTH, specific the tree motif in the doors and murals, leaving DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK as another dull Hollywood clunker with schooled child performances and Guy Pierce turning up to hit the mark. Holmes does her squinty mouth worrying thing probably wondering where her part went.
Most odd of all why did the little girl who is meant to be Guy Pearce's daughter actually look like Holmes real daughter Suri?
It's a floppy for DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK I'm afraid.
Here's a picture of the lovely Mrs. Cruise anyway.
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