
SCARY Stories to Tell in the Darkโ is billed as a family, kid-friendly horror along the same lines asโย Goosebumpsโ and โThe House with a Clock in Its Wallsโ.
But that isn’t the case.
This movie is definitely not meant for a pre-teen audience. There are one or two genuinely creepy moments that would leave your precious nippers sleeping with the lights on until they finish college.
If anything, Guillermo del Toro and Andrรฉ Ovredaโs adaptation of Alvin Schwartโs spooky collection of short stories seems to be more aimed at pubescent fans of โStranger Thingsโ.
I have to admit I donโt know the first thing about the books, but โScary Storiesโ feels more like a pale attempt at capturing the ghoulish malevolence of Stephen Kingโs โItโ or possibly even โCreepshowโ.
The best horror flicks always use humour as a powerful weapon to lull its audience into a false sense of security. However, this movie is light on laughs, and even the spills and thrills are few and far between. As far as pesky teen adventures go, this is a far cry from โThe Gooniesโ on every front.
Despite the fact there is a couple of hair-raising moments, these come across as over stylised and hackneyed interpretations of scenes weโve already seen in classic movies such as โThe Shiningโ or โChildren of the Cornโ.
For a young audience coming to horror for the first time, this isnโt a bad place to start, but for anyone with a real appreciation of the genre this might feel rather dull and unoriginal.
(2/5)
ODEON Limerick is this week giving away one pair of tickets and two large combo meals for a film of your choice at their cinema at the Castletroy Shopping Centre.
To be in with a chance answer the following question and email your answer toย [email protected]ย by 9am on Monday September 2.
Who wrote the ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ short stories collection?
A. JK Rowling
B. Beatrix Potter
C. Alvin Schwartz