Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Scary remake features some gore and a young girl in danger.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 35 kid reviews
Kids say that the movie is creepy and stylish but has an unsettling opening that may not be suitable for younger audiences, with many reviews emphasizing its graphic violence and chaotic elements. While some found it entertaining for teens and older, others deemed it overly disturbing or a disappointment, suggesting a 13+ age recommendation for viewers familiar with the horror genre.
- creepy atmosphere
- graphic violence
- age recommendation
- mixed reviews
- not for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Ten-year-old Sally (Bailee Madison), whose parents are divorced, is sent to live with her father, Alex (Guy Pearce). Alex is busy renovating a humongous old house and living there with his interior designer girlfriend, Kim (Katie Holmes). Both Alex and Kim have a difficult time relating to the sad, withdrawn girl. Things get even worse when Sally accidentally discovers a hidden room and unwittingly unleashes an army of tiny creatures that are capable of great destruction ... and are very hungry. Unfortunately, Sally can't get any grown-ups to believe that the creatures actually exist. Can she find a way to stop the little beasts before it's too late?
Is It Any Good?
The bulk of the movie generates a serious amount of suspense and dread, in anticipation of the terrors that might -- or might not -- come. The movie also adds a little girl to the mix, giving the movie a new fairy-tale dimension, similar to Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, although this movie seems more based in reality than fantasy. The design is key here. The huge house, as well as some haunting artwork, adds character and a slightly otherworldly mood.
The original 1973 TV movie that DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK is based on was low on gore and used some half-hidden, inexpensive visual effects to suggest the little monsters; the rest was left up to viewers' imagination. Here, writer/producer Guillermo Del Toro -- teaming with first-time director Troy Nixey -- more or less stays true to that concept, except that this version adds a couple of extra-gory sequences for today's horror hounds, as well as state-of-the-art digital creatures and strong characters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. What's the impact of the gory sequences? Are they scarier than the more suspenseful/tense scenes? Why or why not?
Are either of the grown-ups in this movie role models? Can either of them make an actual connection with Sally when she needs it most?
What makes the little creatures so scary and/or creepy? Is a movie like this more or less scary than a story in which humans hurt each other, rather than creatures?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 26, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : January 3, 2012
- Cast : Bailee Madison , Guy Pearce , Katie Holmes
- Director : Troy Nixey
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : FilmDistrict , Miramax
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and terror
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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