A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own.
In re-imagining Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, del Toro pays tribute to a film he clearly loves, but with first-time director Troy Nixey seemingly directing by proxy, there’s little sign of the style or imagination of Pan’s Labyrinth or The Devil’s Backbone.
Del Toro’s pet project is a rather too well-oiled fright machine. There’s fun to be had, but it’s as grand and empty as a haunted house.
A satisfying, well-crafted supernatural horror movie, refreshingly retro in its Gothic trappings. It won’t traumatise a generation, but it certainly delivers the shivers.
You won't be.
A minor Del Toro, perhaps, but a must for his fans.
Del Toro's influence is apparent in the CGI of the bulbous-headed goblins, but the story has none of the shiver-inducing otherness of Pan's Labyrinth.
All told, it’s about as scary as The Tigger Movie.
This haunted house is classically constructed but ultimately its corridors are a little empty.
It's more silly than scary with not enough plot and surprise but the cast are good.
The trouble is when the monsters appear, they're cute rather than scary. I wouldn't mind one as a pet.
It's watchable enough and elegantly staged, but it's an Amityville Horror with delusions of grandeur.
General release. Check local listings for show times.