Hey faithful readers of my remote little place on the web!
It's been a while since I reviewed or looked at a movie, well, at least a new one. Anyway, I finally saw Guillermo Del Toro's
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark and I have to say that it turned out to be money well spent when I bought myself a copy. This film, which Del Toro wrote and produced, also happens to be a remake of the 1973 classic of the same name. Now, I purchased this on Blu-ray and I left it sitting on my shelf of to be watched movies for the past several months. I cannot say how long because I have lost count, and the pile just keeps getting higher.
I feel ashamed that I'm falling behind, and on top of that, I going to go buy some more very soon! Yeah, I'm a movie hound, ha.
The movie centers around a young girl named Sally, played by Bailee Madison, who is sent to stay with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes). Kim and Alex are interior designers who are restoring an old house which holds a dark secret, hiding deep within a cavernous hole behind a locked stone furnace. Little creatures dwell here waiting for the opportunity when an unsuspecting visitor allows them to escape from their cast iron prison. Get where I'm going with this? It should be pretty obvious where this is all heading, but that's doesn't take anything away from what Del Toro delivers to us as a finished product that captures an intense creepy and terrifying atmosphere and feeling.
Oh, no! The fact the movie focuses on a young girl who is caught between separating parents, adjusting to a new would-be mother and emotional detachment issues only adds to the sense of loneliness and fear that follows Sally throughout the entire movie. It works so well here because, from my perspective, as a viewer, I'm curious and mystified by the dangers that lurk around the dark corners, whispering to this innocent girl who already has enough emotional and psychological problems. Does this sound cruel or unusual? No, of course not! The movie is presented to us in this way. We have a 'new' family trying to adjust to each other, but we're keeping our eyes on the child. Del Toro has a way of playing to our sensibilities when he centers his stories around young children.
He invites us to follow Sally into a new world, so to speak, the house and its surroundings. Now this house is immense with its front yard and even larger open back space with tall hedges. It's the kind of house any kid could get lost in for hours, purposefully. We would do it to explore and have fun; however, very quickly, the movie redirects us back to the immediate danger of the little creatures that are eager to escape and "become friends" with Sally. Now, where these creatures become equally effective as dangers is not because they're scary, but rather because they portray a feral and aggressive approach when they attack they're victims.
I mean, some monster or creature movies relied on gross out human chomping, blood and gore to appear dangerous. A couple of examples I can think of: C.H.U.D., Ghoulies, and any creature movie on Sy Fy. These things on the other hand behave like demented psychopaths swinging razor blades, literally too! There are several scenes where the miniature imp-like, gremlins slash and stab an old man across his eye, his wrist, ankle, etc. I cringed the entire time as I watched this poor fool attempt to lock the creatures away, only to fail and fall victim to their malicious and crude attacks. From that first attack since their escape, the creatures run loose throughout the house carrying knives, screwdrivers and what ever other sharp weapons they can find.
Immediately, my attention and concern falls on Sally's safety because they want to kill her throughout the whole film. Everywhere she goes within the house, the darkness seems to follow her and in that darkness you know the creatures are not too far behind. The interesting and surprising detail about the film is that it is a take on the tooth fairy. Yes! You heard or read correctly! This is really a re-imagining of the origins of the tooth fairy but with a horrid twist. And, I liked it! In addition, the house with its lavish and Victorian interior design adds a quality of fantasy and dark Gothic, just a touch, but it all comes together to create an immense feeling that this place is a playground for these creatures and Sally, Alex and Kim are just mice scampering around.
In a way, it also reminded me of Del Toro's other work,
Pan's Labyrinth.
Again, it's very creepy and makes you think of the times you were afraid of the monster under the bed, or the fear of cutting the soft spot across your wrists or ankles. It makes my skin crawl just thinking about this as I write it!
Overall, I found this film to be good creepy fun that delivered on the spooks and very graphic violence.
Until next time, stay in the light!
