Tubi Thursday: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

Guillermo Del Toro was apparently a big fan of the 1973 TV Movie.

As such, we got a Remake in Theaters in 2010.

Let's see if it was necessary...

In a Flashback Scene, a guy named Lord Blackwood makes a sacrifice to some unseen creatures to free his Son.

It goes poorly.

In the Present, a divorced Dad (Guy Pearce) and his new Girlfriend (Katie Holmes) move into the same House.

His Daughter is forced to move in with him too.

She's not happy.
Not about any of this.

She uncovers the hidden entrance to the Basement, in spite of the Groundskeeper's protests.

She opens the grate and the unseen creatures try to bring her comfort.

When she finally sees them, however, they are far less friendly.

Their lashing out against the Parents makes her look guilty as well, which doesn't help.

Holmes believes the girl- as much as she can- and gives her a polaroid camera, knowing that whatever she sees is afraid of light.

Can she finally convince people that the creatures are real?
Can Holmes find out what is going on?

Do I kind of miss the furry guys with almond shaped heads?

To find out the answers to (most of) those questions, stream it now.

A Remake that does its own thing most of the time.

That said, this one feels familiar in many ways.

Del Toro is one of the 3 Writers (counting the 1973 Film's Writer) and boy, does it show!

It takes place at a Gothic Mansion, has a kid experiencing fairy tale trauma, the creatures are a form of fairies and the Dad is not a lot of help.

I'll just say this too- making the Heroine into a kid is a Cheat Code for mining sympathy.

If you don't know the Original, you won't see the story beats from it (the groundskeeper being attacked, tripping people with the rope).

Again- this Film is much more than just the same Film again.

Even so, I feel like if we just got someone like Del Toro to make an updated version of the original in its essence, it would be better.

As it is, I feel pulled between two divergent opinions- this is different and should it be?

A Film that is thankfully more than just a shinier, CGI-filled Remake.  That said, it is too familiar in about every other way.