Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Lionsgate | Release Date: August 9, 2019 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
61
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
16
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Entertainment WeeklyClark CollisAug 8, 2019
Blessed with some firm hands on the terror tiller and a winning cast, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a handsome, and deliciously horrible, horror movie. Read full review
80
ScreenCrushMatt SingerAug 8, 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is drenched with symbolism and layered with ideas about lost innocence and the power of stories — and the power of creating something that resonates with an audience for years and years. I suspect this movie will do exactly that. Read full review
80
IGNRosie KnightAug 7, 2019
The fun and frightful Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark will introduce a new generation to the joy of being scared. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comTomris LafflyAug 9, 2019
Thanks to Øvredal’s visual flair and visceral dedication to the monsters of Guillermo del Toro, clearly a major influence on the “Trollhunter” director’s bittersweet approach to the field, this satisfying though far from innovative dish boasts comforting flavors throughout. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubA.A. Dowd Aug 8, 2019
As gross and spooky and, yes, occasionally frightening as these terror tactics get, they never quite cross over into the deep end of truly grownup horror. That’s intentional, and a key to the film’s fun: It gets away with everything it can on a PG-13 leash, smuggling some real scares to the under-18 crowd. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonAug 8, 2019
The film finally gets into gear around the midpoint and zooms to a satisfying finish. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsAug 8, 2019
The movie’s good even when it goes in too many directions at once, because it gets the kids right. Read full review
75
TheWrapMonica CastilloAug 7, 2019
True to its word, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark delivers an entrancing thriller that explores the power of narratives with a few screams to boot. Read full review
70
We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoAug 8, 2019
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is gateway horror that treats intended audiences to many a scream, pulling no punches nor watering down nightmarish conjurings that remind how healthy fearful emotions can be at any age. Read full review
67
The VergeNoah BerlatskyAug 9, 2019
Øvredal is to be commended for simultaneously staying true to a beloved franchise and twisting its head around to face in an unexpected direction. Thanks to him, the film isn’t just a collection of scary stories. It’s a meditation on why the stories we tell ourselves shape us and why that’s the scary bit. Read full review
63
ReelViewsJames BerardinelliAug 10, 2019
Three-fourths of a good horror movie and one-fourth disappointing. The film, constructed as a series of episodic vignettes connected by an umbrella story, remains solidly engaging until it gets to the ending. Read full review
63
ObserverOliver JonesAug 9, 2019
Øvredal also coaxes mostly strong performances from his young cast. This is especially true of Zoe Colletti (Showtime’s City on a Hill) as protagonist Stella. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineHenry StewartAug 8, 2019
Once it gets past what feels like submission to genre demands, the drama reaffirms its focus on the central themes. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerNick VadalaAug 8, 2019
Jump scares are the film’s most-used horror device, but it does feel like Øvredal and del Toro are pushing the envelope of the film’s PG-13 rating with how creepy some of the stories get. Read full review
63
The Associated PressJake CoyleAug 8, 2019
Even if the material — a haunted scarecrow, a young woman’s vengeful ghost — can feel stale off the page, Øvredal’s filmmaking is fresh and vibrant. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Brad WheelerAug 8, 2019
At times the film seems like a horrifying Nancy Drew story or a more sophisticated Scooby-Doo episode without the dog and with a face full of spiders. Read full review
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