Fear(s) of the Dark
IFC Films | Release Date: October 22, 2008 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Sinister and beautiful, this mostly black-and-white animation from France culls the talents of six artists and designers. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Fear(s) of the Dark, a French production, interweaves the shorts, linking the segments together thematically, and narratively. Read full review
80
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
Shot in luminous whites, pulsing blacks and gorgeous grays, the stories explore sexual insecurity, rural superstition and sociopolitical anxieties with an inventiveness that's seldom scary but never less than mesmerizing. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
These stories are frightening, but they contain few shocks or flinches; they're deeper and more psychological, more about adult anxiety than pure terror. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneChristopher Borrelli
Works best when it works primal--which is not the same thing as working dumb. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerBill White
Despite the cultural and artistic differences among the contributors, the overall production design maintains a unified tone, helped in part by Laurent Perez's eerie soundtrack. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTy Burr
It makes a nicely grim little Halloween appetizer, although you may want to go home and hide under the bed afterward. Read full review
70
Village VoiceAaron Hillis
Though multi-director projects are patchy by definition, Fear(s) of the Dark hits with an all-star batting average. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterStephen Farber
Half a dozen directors from America and Europe contribute stories to this tasty potpourri. Read full review
70
Film ThreatJeremy Mathews
A visually exhilarating trip through the darker regions of the subconscious. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesMark Olsen
None of the segments are really interested in jump/scare/slasher horror, but rather the slow, creeping terror of feeling something is wrong and something worse is coming, making the film a most frightful Halloween aperitif. Read full review
63
New York PostV.A. Musetto
There isn't a dud in the 10 shorts, although some are more dud-ish than others. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Some of the stories are pretty good, especially Charles Burns' tale involving a nasty and vaguely humanoid insect that burrows under the skin. Read full review
50
Entertainment WeeklyGregory Kirschling
Feels like a nonstarter. Read full review
50
VarietyJay Weissberg
An omnibus of black-and-white animation with a couple exceptionally clever episodes tied together by an unnecessary recurring monologue. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleReyhan Harmanci
The result is more lyrical than frightening - and there are some misses mixed in with the hits - but it's well worth checking out. Read full review
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