Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Lionsgate | Release Date: August 9, 2019
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 186 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
101
Mixed:
64
Negative:
21
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User Reviews

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7
GinaKAug 13, 2019
For me this was a disappointing film with one or two really good moments (for example, the monster in the hospital), but overall it was never as good those very few parts. The mostly mediocre actors, the dull story, and the slow pacing wereFor me this was a disappointing film with one or two really good moments (for example, the monster in the hospital), but overall it was never as good those very few parts. The mostly mediocre actors, the dull story, and the slow pacing were just not good enough to create even one real moment of true horror.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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7
destinyfan1Jul 12, 2021
It was a cool movie,but nothing more,didn't really do anything original,i guess they needed to follow the story and not be to gory because this movie loooks to be tyargeting a relative young audience but they could have done so much more withIt was a cool movie,but nothing more,didn't really do anything original,i guess they needed to follow the story and not be to gory because this movie loooks to be tyargeting a relative young audience but they could have done so much more with this story.I guess that is why a sequel in probably in the making.Overall i felt kinda dissapointed because this movie wasn't scary at all but it was still a cool and enjoyable movie.O and the actors did well.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
JPKAug 9, 2019
Pretty Good
It’s not the perfect adaptation, But it’s still one worth watching.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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8
manningn15Aug 11, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is my 3rd favorite horror movie of 2019, one of my favorite movies of 2019, and one of my favorite horror movies. The creatures were phenomenal and so cool, creepy, scary, and disturbing, I was especially creeped out by the Pale Lady and the Jangly Man. The visual effects were fantastic. The story was terrific. The acting from Zoe Colleti, Michael Garza, Austin Zajur, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, Dean Norris, and Gabriel Rush was excellent. This was a great horror movie.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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10
Hugi09Aug 9, 2019
Voilà un film original, angoissant et flippant ! J’ai beaucoup aimé ce film
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
GLADIADORAug 12, 2019
Um filme para deixar vc tenso e levar alguns sustos, com criaturas medonhas e assustadoras apesar de serem um pouco mal feitas digitalmente, mas concerteza vale o ingresso
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
qbaseOct 23, 2019
Η προσεγμένη παραγωγή υποβάλλει μια πειστικά τρομακτική ατμόσφαιρα, με σκηνές οι οποίες διαχειρίζονται εύστοχα το σασπένς, σερβίρουν τα απαραίτητα jump scares κι επιβάλλουν την απαιτούμενη εφιαλτική αίσθησηΗ προσεγμένη παραγωγή υποβάλλει μια πειστικά τρομακτική ατμόσφαιρα, με σκηνές οι οποίες διαχειρίζονται εύστοχα το σασπένς, σερβίρουν τα απαραίτητα jump scares κι επιβάλλουν την απαιτούμενη εφιαλτική αίσθηση
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
chetlySep 13, 2019
Engaging, suspenseful and an original story. Ias a horror movie buff, I recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
moviewatcherclbAug 13, 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark does have some really good elements to it, but it’s missing things and falls short in other areas. Great job bringing the original artwork to life on the big-screen. Great job with the writing. Not sure itScary Stories to Tell in the Dark does have some really good elements to it, but it’s missing things and falls short in other areas. Great job bringing the original artwork to life on the big-screen. Great job with the writing. Not sure it was the best cast of kids... acting could have been better. Check my review here - https://youtu.be/gZiewZ88yHI… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
Stafford1983Aug 30, 2019
The movie could never be as good as the illustrations from the book but there were some disturbing images from the movie I won't forget for along time.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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8
ckeppnerOct 28, 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark faithfully brings the stories that terrified us as kids to the big screen. If you remember the books fondly, you will be delighted from start to end. While the overarching story tying its individual partsScary Stories to Tell in the Dark faithfully brings the stories that terrified us as kids to the big screen. If you remember the books fondly, you will be delighted from start to end. While the overarching story tying its individual parts together is a little cheesy, the various stories throughout the film promise to scare and delight horror fans. As a huge fan of the original trilogy, I loved this film and hope there are more Scary Stories in our future!… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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8
AverycrosslinNov 3, 2019
I was scared to walk into this movie, but I was shocked by how good it was. It was an awesome horror movie that didn't ruin my liking of the book. It has some pretty scary moments for a pg-13 movie. I love the scares, the suspense, and actingI was scared to walk into this movie, but I was shocked by how good it was. It was an awesome horror movie that didn't ruin my liking of the book. It has some pretty scary moments for a pg-13 movie. I love the scares, the suspense, and acting (they actually gave a really good performance in this movie). I didn't care too much for the characters, but they have just enough exposition to make me sort of care for them. Also, there was one sentence character said about a dream (no spoiler), but it just felt so out of place. Other than that it was a great horror movie, better than other pg-13 horror movies that don't seem to do well. 8/10 or B+… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
Hellhound80Nov 18, 2019
I can honestly say this movie surprised me I went into it not expecting much but it kept me gripped right to the end and had me on the edge of my seat.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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8
SoyHenryVNov 24, 2019
La magia y el horror de esta cinta viene de sus impecables y maravillosos monstruos. Es una cinta de aventuras con cierto toque de suspenso. Estoy seguro de que ganará más cariño y seguidores en el futuro.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
tellmikeyyJan 23, 2022
Growing up these books where a staple in my childhood. Was hyped when I saw they were making them into a movie. After finally giving it a watch on Netflix, I can say overall it was a decent depiction. I had heard the use prosthetics on setGrowing up these books where a staple in my childhood. Was hyped when I saw they were making them into a movie. After finally giving it a watch on Netflix, I can say overall it was a decent depiction. I had heard the use prosthetics on set but went with a more CGI look with some of the monsters and it makes me wish they had left it to just the prosthetics. Still a good movie, wouldn’t be opposed to a sequel.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
halfbloodprinceSep 5, 2020
A fun and technically well executed scary movie, pretty much exactly the definition of a good popcorn flick.
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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7
Muskrat147Aug 13, 2019
Following the similar style and simple premise of 2017's IT, with slightly more horrifying imagery and greater nightmare fuel, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a solid and simple gateway film for emerging genre fans and younger filmgoers.Following the similar style and simple premise of 2017's IT, with slightly more horrifying imagery and greater nightmare fuel, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a solid and simple gateway film for emerging genre fans and younger filmgoers. It should not be much of a surprise, largely because of del Toro's involvement in the writing process. However, Norwegian talent Andre Overdal deserves credit where credit is due - the leading quality in Stories is suspense, and Overdal constructs his sequences masterfully. Each individual character's narrative culminates in either one or more personally scary moments, which all add to the absolutely spot-on recreations of Stephen Gammell's disturbing illustrations. On top of this, the acting all around is solid and quite convincing, similar as well to that of IT. Though minor flubs in pacing and needless exposition occur sporadically, there are no real, game changing flaws or issues. Simply put - Stories fits in well with the likes of other young adult classics, and will certainly become a classic of its own within several years time.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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2
msl555Aug 10, 2019
If loud noises amd jump scares are your thing, then this is for you. If however you were hoping for real scares, your completely out of luck. A story that makes zero sense. cardboard cut out characters and Saturday morning cartoonishIf loud noises amd jump scares are your thing, then this is for you. If however you were hoping for real scares, your completely out of luck. A story that makes zero sense. cardboard cut out characters and Saturday morning cartoonish monsters.Poorly directed, badly edited, weakly acted, all from a poor screenplay.… Expand
3 of 5 users found this helpful32
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7
LamontRaymondAug 8, 2019
As a fan of such horror fare as Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, I appreciate what they're doing with this film. The kid actors are fantastic - kudos to the casting team. I was hoping that the "horror" sequences would be a littleAs a fan of such horror fare as Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, I appreciate what they're doing with this film. The kid actors are fantastic - kudos to the casting team. I was hoping that the "horror" sequences would be a little scarier, but hey - I get the feeling (based on my audience) that this is one of those horror films meant to get younger audiences into the genre. Mission accomplished, from what I saw.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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10
Darkjoker28Aug 9, 2019
I Enjoyed every scene of this movie!
A nice building up to most of its scenes, with fun, scary stories to check best on a foggy night.
Del Toro manages to did it again, in helping to create this little horror gem, even for a more recent generation.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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7
BrushedRedAug 9, 2019
It’s not perfect, but it is perfectly enjoyable. I knew it was going to be visually stunning from the moment I saw Guillermo Del Toro, and it absolutely was. It was fun and nostalgic and it felt like the movie I wished Goosebumps had been aIt’s not perfect, but it is perfectly enjoyable. I knew it was going to be visually stunning from the moment I saw Guillermo Del Toro, and it absolutely was. It was fun and nostalgic and it felt like the movie I wished Goosebumps had been a few years ago, rather than it taking the full on comedy approach. It was cute and definitely more kid-oriented than it would be for adults, which is understandable. Felt more like 90’s Goosebumps episodes brought to today’s world. But even with all this praise and nostalgia I felt, I must retract some points just for the fact that the monsters felt hollow and lifeless and more of a means to an end or some sort of “scare factor” rather than having some sort of character or purpose or personality. A lot of the meat of the stories in here was taken out and I felt the overarching narrative was drug our a little too much or too long. Wish they had focused more on the stories within and cut back a little bit on the overarching narrative. Still, it was fun and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the coming sequel. The ending pretty much promised one.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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10
ShadowMan64Aug 25, 2019
Wonderful movie. Definitely feel Del Toro had a part in this. The story is well written and the way the smaller stories (from the book) comes together here is marvelously done.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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10
Zeal0tAug 9, 2019
Perfect scary movie. Would be a great gateway horror film for younger viewers. As always with del toro the creatures are the highlight.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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7
Compi24Aug 24, 2019
The elementary school book fair staple whose illustrations have traumatized children for decades finally gets the Hollywood treatment in André Øvredal's "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark," yet another unassuming gem hidden within the roughThe elementary school book fair staple whose illustrations have traumatized children for decades finally gets the Hollywood treatment in André Øvredal's "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark," yet another unassuming gem hidden within the rough that is the 2019 cinematic landscape. A movie far more concerned with trying to explore the limits of what we can still call "PG-13 horror" rather than with going through the same motions we've seen with these sorts of films time and time again, "Scary Stories" will have your stray jump scare here and there, yes, but it'll make sure that the image on display contains something well-designed and -- most importantly, especially considering the namesake in play here -- scary. It looks great, the acting is serviceable, but above all, I kept hankering to see what creature, effect, or scare they were going to try and pull off next. All in all, it's quite the chilling treat -- one that also ensures I'll never look at any pot of stew or spider bite the same way ever again.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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7
NightReviewsFeb 27, 2020
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is a revisionist tale of all of your favourite horror movies from the 1970s to our present time, amalgamated into one very solid and well done horror film. Directed by André Øvredal and heavily influenced andScary Stories To Tell In The Dark is a revisionist tale of all of your favourite horror movies from the 1970s to our present time, amalgamated into one very solid and well done horror film. Directed by André Øvredal and heavily influenced and produced by Guillermo Del Toro, Scary Stories is a fresh yet cozily familiar peak into a growing genre of cinema that is not only its due diligence, but gaining exponential notoriety in the film industry. The film manages to be youthful but not irritating and scary but not grotesque, blending clichés and devices together and delivering them with class and effortlessness.

The story kicks off on Halloween; no punches are pulled when it comes to nostalgia considering the film is based in the 60’s. Heavy nods to films like 1987’s Adventures in Babysitting are made, giving light to a very breezy yet heartwarming entrance to the characters. Our main protagonists Stella Nichols (Zoe Margaret Colletti) is a young aspiring horror fiction writer who has, as expected, a geeky group of friends. Auggie played by Gabriel Rush, the kindhearted rational player in this game and his best buddy Chuck played by Austin Zajur, are just a bunch of nerds trying to get back at the resident jock Tommy (Austin Abrams) who so happens also is dating Chuck’s sister Ruthie (Natalie Ganzhorn).

While the characters are somewhat cliches embryos, each character serves its purpose with glee; Chuck provides the main comedic relief in the film, Stella is the bookworm, Auggie is the realist and newly formed friend Ramon Morales (Michael Garza) is the newbie who they tumble upon and find shelter after chucking faces in Tommy’s car, stumbling upon Ramon at a local drive in. What’s interesting yet weirdly satisfying about the film is how Del Toro, who had a heavy influence in the creation of the film being the film’s main producer, incorporates some social consciousness and real-world dilemmas into the film with minority based subtexts and racist undertones, giving the film a familiar yet authentic feel.

So after thwarting off Tommy and his band of Outsiders inspired jocks, it being Halloween and all, it only seemed fitting that Ramon and the trio of main characters visit an old, resident haunted house owned by the small town’s primary original family. While some jokes and pranks are delivered throughout the house, Chuck comes across an unsettling encounter with an unnamed figure, and Stella, being the horror fanatic that she is, ends up stealing on the supposedly haunted Sarah Bellows’ books. What she doesn’t know is, the book starts to live out the deepest and darkest fears of our protagonists as well as antagonists, in horror delight fashion. Each story of our characters are done in a very interesting and ingenious vignette style with each spooky story in my opinion getting scarier and scarier, or in cinematic terms, more Del Toro. Del Toro’s contributions to the film are quite obvious; his signature coloring of scenes is prevalent and absolutely adds to the eeriness of Scary Stories. Heavy rich reds used effectively to show either impending horror or in one case thrusting us right into it, the grayish blues that I feel are Del Toro’s go to for atmosphere are breathtaking. My first exposure to Del Toro’s color palette was when I watched Pan’s Labyrinth back in 2006; yet despite the film being less of a horror film, the eerie atmosphere and tone of the film was spine-tingling, to say the least.

Scary Stories plays close to Labyrinth’s stylistically and I couldn’t have been more visually satisfied especially considering that palette paired with 60’s nostalgia which, [any of my readers would know] I adore. The monsters are all truly terrifying in their own way and possess an unsettling realness to them; no creature or ghoul feels too outlandish, or too far from our own reality. For the first time in a long time, the monsters actually feel like they were plucked from our own consciousness; our deepest fears and demons. That’s what Scary Stories so good is how the film and narrative revitalizes horror and the genre as a while, but allow it’s characters and spooky set-pieces to stand alone and create a world that is familiar, yet new. It makes you as the viewer feel young again, touching that place deep down that I don’t think horror has touched in a long time, a aura of retrospective and nostalgia.

Scary Stories does everything a horror film should do and more. Yes it scares, induces jumps, scream and terrors but like so many horror films of the 1980s, its also a good time at the cineplexes. Much like the Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Child’s Play were a riotous time at the cinema back then, those films didn’t take themselves too seriously yet were still as spooky, fun and entertaining. More than anything, Scary Stories had me entertained, from beginning to end.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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7
mbeckfordOct 27, 2020
Based off a kids book of very short stories, the movie picks a handful of them and gives them the full horror movie upgrade. Another great movie from André Øvredal of "Troll Hunter" and the "Autopsy of Jane Doe."
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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7
marcmyworksOct 19, 2019
This is a decent film made for a specific audience, pre-teens who are just getting into horror films. Though the acting, pacing and plot isn't the best at times, overall it works and is worth a pre-Halloween watch.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
Voodoo123Aug 28, 2020
Some interesting moments throughout but overall it felt like the 60sbsetting was used as window dressing only and the jump scares were common and felt cheap. Throw in a pretty forgettable set of two dimensional characters and some prettySome interesting moments throughout but overall it felt like the 60sbsetting was used as window dressing only and the jump scares were common and felt cheap. Throw in a pretty forgettable set of two dimensional characters and some pretty average cinematography and what is left just lacks any particular flavour to be worthy of remembering fondly. Conceptually there's something here.... Also the abundance of cgi kinda stood out here. Less is more folks. Go practical at all times unless absolutely necessary. In general too much 'clear view of the monster' was evident here which is a massive fail when it comes to the horror genre when building tension. Production was high quality but the lead actor felt like a bad choice. I never felt truly emotionally connected to her backstory or motivation.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
TejasNairOct 29, 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a breath of fresh air in the horror and mystery genres of Hollywood for it brings out some storytelling (about a mysterious young girl who is kept locked in a basement room by her own family and whoScary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a breath of fresh air in the horror and mystery genres of Hollywood for it brings out some storytelling (about a mysterious young girl who is kept locked in a basement room by her own family and who narrates scary stories to children) with enough dose of horror imagery and not resorting to puerile jumpscares that is the hallmark of new-wave horror these days. TN.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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7
Vikn01776Feb 23, 2020
6.5 or 7 stars. Well done, spooky imagery with a not particularly scary story. Enjoyable for any age, perhaps not scary for anyone older than 13 however. Enjoyable for sure, though. Flawed...the main actor (Stella) gives a particularly bad6.5 or 7 stars. Well done, spooky imagery with a not particularly scary story. Enjoyable for any age, perhaps not scary for anyone older than 13 however. Enjoyable for sure, though. Flawed...the main actor (Stella) gives a particularly bad performance in a group that doesnt really stand out. Doesn't detract too much from the experience, however.… Expand
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5
juliiouseAug 26, 2019
At a time when the entertainment industry is being saturated with historical coming of age horror mystery stories, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark does so much that other films and TV series do, but much worse. Much like IT and StrangerAt a time when the entertainment industry is being saturated with historical coming of age horror mystery stories, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark does so much that other films and TV series do, but much worse. Much like IT and Stranger Things, Scary Stories' main protagonists are a group of children/teenagers who are facing up to a mysterious horror which is plagueing their town, and along the way learn some important lessons about leaving the innocence of childhood behind. The only difference is that none of the characters are really interesting enough (or get much screentime) for the plot to work. Additionally, the town and the people who live in it are never really developed enough to make the threat it faces feel impactful. More time is spent on the monster than on the people who actually matter. The characters are eye-rollingly horror aficionados and "geeks": as this is the 1960's rather than the standard 80's setting, their interests are in B-movies rather than Dungeons & Dragons, but it's too similar to Stranger Things and honestly a little irritating at this point. The only interesting member of the main crew is Ramon: a wandering Latino vagrant who deals with the usual bullying Jocks with a cold, menacing demeanour which makes him feel like he's going to be a good balance to the more immature, geeky characters. Unfortunately, he very quickly outs himself as a massive horror fan and lover of geek culture.

Regarding the monster, the film ultimately fails where other similar films have: it is a horror film that isn't ever that scary. There are a few jump scares here and there, very few of which are paced in a way to feel earned. Much worse than this, there is almost no horror caused by suspense, which fundamentally undermines the main premise of the film: that peoples' gruesome fates are predetermined by a collection of scary stories written in blood. Where there should be a sense of creeping dread, we instead get treated to a collection of monsters being weird things on camera before killing people in as PG-13 a way as possible. I've recently being reading IT, which pulls no punches on the deaths of characters at the hands of monsters, and narrates it in gruesome detail. Much like the recent film version of IT, Scary Stories relishes too much in having monsters mess around on the camera and spends very little time actually making them threatening.

worst of all, the film ends with a sequel hook, which is especially bad as the overall mystery the film presents is never that interesting, so to stretch it over a minimum of two films is way too much.

If you liked Stranger Things or the 2017 IT, I'm sure you'll enjoy this: but if you want horror, you're watching the wrong film.… Expand
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7
PanchogulOct 1, 2019
Entretenida, la verdad las películas de terror de este tipo no van conmigo (infantil y adolescente), pero disfruté bastante viendo esta y pienso que tiene la atmósfera suficiente para disfrutarse con amigos en Halloween.

Lo bueno: LaEntretenida, la verdad las películas de terror de este tipo no van conmigo (infantil y adolescente), pero disfruté bastante viendo esta y pienso que tiene la atmósfera suficiente para disfrutarse con amigos en Halloween.

Lo bueno: La ambientación, la historia y el diseño de las criaturas, en fin, todo el apartado técnico.

Lo malo: Los personajes, puesto que te importa un rábano su destino final sea cual sea. Se supone que es apta para mayores de 14, pero a mi criterio debería ser simplemente para mayores de 7 debido a que es una película muuuuy suave a mi juicio, la poca violencia es de risa y es muy blanda pero aún así es disfrutable a todo dar.

En conclusión, es una película para casi todos los gustos para ver de pasada, recalco en que podría ser indispensable para quien guste hacer maratón de películas en Halloween con familia o amigos.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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2
TrevorsViewAug 16, 2019
Think about darkness… if a noise creaks, your imagination takes over… termites perhaps? Or maybe a burglar? Nothing will be known for certain unless you leave the comfortable bed to turn a light on, maneuvering around things on the floor onThink about darkness… if a noise creaks, your imagination takes over… termites perhaps? Or maybe a burglar? Nothing will be known for certain unless you leave the comfortable bed to turn a light on, maneuvering around things on the floor on the way. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark sounds like it would take on an anthology film format like Creepshow and Twilight Zone. It sounds like the key experience to feel sucked into exactly what makes the dark so scary. Wrong. It instead imitates the exact same genre familiarity without taking any creative risks, which is too bad, because if this was an anthology film, it would be more than another “young victims get killed off one by one until the virgin is left” kind of plot.

The sloppy production team behind this horrific horror picture show does nothing but mock genuinely good films of the genre. The first noticeable disregard to common sense is the white-fresh paper of the very old possessed book, then gets even lamer when the teenage leads access highly confidential city records without problem. Even when it tries to get scary, atrocious CGI doesn’t make a series of severed limbs reattaching themselves easy to overlook in the cheap finale. Director André Øvredal’s lack of control results in all logic being accidentally ridiculous, not over-the-top satirical like the unrealistic violence in Kill Bill. Any of its attempted creative ideas fall flat on passing as healthy art for the common viewer, as it relies on the evil book for the convenience of breezing past details with lazy dialogue.

At least the “creepy” scenes deliver okay, the best of them featuring a deformed woman who slowly creeps toward you down a hospital hallway; each edit cut she moves closer and closer like the overly-familiar fear of being followed, enough to help you overlook the thoughtless conversations in every other scene. It’s not worth it to sit through the unmanageable scenes though for this one moment, since nobody who oversaw auditions in the pre-production process said anything about how those who made the cast have no talent.

Zoe Margaret Colletti is one of the worst cast members, as her eyes never have a sign of terror when they are supposed to; she instead just sounds passive, reliant on a warm porch light to set the happy mood instead of bringing out life from her own presence. The other kids in the movie go through personal problems, including dysfunctional families and *gasp* zits! That’s it really, any other real problems are left out. It does attempt to chuck in political overtones with a radio that exclaims, “say no to war,” and many shots of Richard Nixon on TV. But none of these visuals affect the narrative in any way whatsoever, especially not the thought process of Zoe’s character, Stella.

It does attempt to look impressive by incorporating jump-scares, some of them just fake-outs, and one of them an attempt to quietly build up to the “mother of all jump-scares,” but all these attempts flop. There are problems in all other horror scenes too, one of them has a toe inside a soup, which succeeds at being gross, but is otherwise empty of any lasting impression besides the visual of clawed floorboards under someone’s bed leading to a wall.

The production crew should have taken notes from their costume designer Ruth Myers (L.A. Confidential) for inspiration. One boy wears a wonderfully pathetic Spider-man costume for Halloween (courtesy of mom), and it captures the tone the film should have had: self-aware in how much it stretches from being what is expected with a large aura of goofiness. Instead, it goes for dead serious but is goofy by mistake. One laughable attack on a blonde girl matches said level of ridiculous misinterpretation, with spiders intending gross reactions out of everyone but winds up getting the expected reaction only out of those with arachnophobia.

But here’s the dumbest part: the feature is bookended with monologues on why stories craft us, which is not insightful, but ironic, because the message is attached to something with mere entertainment in mind, not philosophy. Trust me, I know about the philosophy of film, and books.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark has no idea about those realities of literature, it’s just a piece of Play-Doh that molded itself into the shape of a puzzle piece to try and fit in. Since it can’t do what it should have done all along, it can’t make your skin crawl once the lights boom out.… Expand
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7
Davrosdaleks1Aug 13, 2019
I found this adaptation of the popular children's book trilogy to be one of those films that has great scares with an okay plot.

Director André Øvredal (who directed the excellent The Autopsy of Jane Doe) really knows how to bring on theI found this adaptation of the popular children's book trilogy to be one of those films that has great scares with an okay plot.

Director André Øvredal (who directed the excellent The Autopsy of Jane Doe) really knows how to bring on the scares. For those worried that the violence and gruesomeness is going to be watered down because this is from children's books, be rest assured that Øvredal manages to push the PG-13 rating pretty far. The movie does a great job with the atmosphere when the scares kick in. The characters are attacked by several stories come to life, and each one is accompanied by an unrelenting sense of doom.

The ghosts and monsters in this are heavily based on the original, iconic, and freaky illustrations by Stephen Gammell, which, let's be honest, are as much as responsible for the books' fame as the stories. They look great. They also rely on practical effects when... well... practical. I found the Pale Lady segment to be one of the best scares of the year. Only draw back is that the final foe, though still creepy, doesn't quite compare to the ones before it.

The plot is okay, just okay. The opening suffers from trying to both fit in the exposition and getting to the scares too quickly. The revelation of what causes all the evil to occur felt undercooked. On the plus side, there are a few clever lines in this.

Acting is mostly just okay. The weaker points are Tommy the bully (Austin Abrams) who even by movie terms is too over-the-top and Natalie Ganzhorn as Ruth, one of the teens, who just doesn't gel. In fairness to the actress, I don't know if the director and the screenwriters really had a grip on the character either.

Once again, I want to clarify that the plot isn't bad, just not great. I recommend this for the scares, which by themselves would've had this rated a little higher.… Expand
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7
GrachechkovskiAug 12, 2019
The good horror movie without screamers, but with a individual Del Toro's horror atmosphere. The last monster is very impressived to me and the story "The Red Room" is really scary for me and reminded me the "It Follows" film
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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3
meydianarizki21Oct 31, 2020
Just not good in any way
'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' exemplifies everything that is wrong with the horror genre. There are some really good horror movies out there going unnoticed, while garbage like this gets a cinematic release.Just not good in any way
'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' exemplifies everything that is wrong with the horror genre. There are some really good horror movies out there going unnoticed, while garbage like this gets a cinematic release. Fake jump-scares, bad looking monsters, slow-moving monsters (didn't we work out they weren't scary 20 years ago) and horrible characters. This was not a fun viewing to sit through.

The concept in this movie is quite deceptive. To the naked eye is might appear clever and creative, but when you actually think about it it is incredibly lazy. A book where whatever is written down actually happens. So basically no limitations and no need to structure your story or create plausible reasons for anything to happen. Genius. No, it's simple and incredibly lazy and anyone with half a brain should see right through it.

How do people fall for these cheap horror movies that have no depth? It's like people have forgotten how good horror can actually be when it is done right. 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' is not a film I would recommend. There are infinitely better watches available out there.… Expand
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10
imtheonlytyeAug 12, 2019
I absolutely loved it. Brought back so many memories from the books. I hope they make a sequel and maybe a prequel ;)
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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3
BrunoVn00Aug 18, 2019
This movie has the reason I just don't like watching horror movies: Paper-thin and one-dimentional characters, full of clichés of the modern horror genre including: A halloween setting, haunted books, dogs barking at "paranormal activity",This movie has the reason I just don't like watching horror movies: Paper-thin and one-dimentional characters, full of clichés of the modern horror genre including: A halloween setting, haunted books, dogs barking at "paranormal activity", the characters investigate about the monster/paranormal creature, the characters consult an expert that knows about the thing, lights always fail and goes dark anytime the monster is near and the most annoying thing: JUMPSCARES. Pointless jumpscares that are there because the movie doesn't know any other way to scare you or to be creepy. It's always the same: Music stops for a while and then a loud noise. Sometimes they don't even make sense and one of the monsters literally makes a jumpscare to the audience. It's the most unoriginal, boring movie with no creativity and with all the clichés of the genre.

I can't believe Guillermo Del Toro was involved in this.… Expand
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10
fsdgfdAug 19, 2019
Not really so much a horror fan but this movie was really impressive! With good performances and very well-crafted horror scenes this movie kept me on my toes and scared the whole time. Definitely would recommend Del toro is very talented!
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5
Kevin3Sep 12, 2019
No hay nada original en esta película, es aburrida y no da miedo, es prácticamente una copia de escalofríos
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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3
hnestlyontheslyOct 7, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ovredal and Del Toro’s adaptation of Scary Stories is a bit braindead, but not in ways that are completely obvious. The weakness of their muddled social commentary might have been easier to overlook if all of the monsters and scares hadn’t been given away for free in the trailer. What you’re left with is a film that will probably still scare the bejeezus out of your twelve year-old but not leave you very satisfied.

Some spoilers. “Scary Stories leans on its social allegories, but with little conclusive meaning,” write Aja Romano for Vox. I’ve written before about the need for horror films to have nimble metaphors and Scary Stories starts out strong with the way that it handles the disappearances of children by supernatural means. They are the invisible, the silent victims of forces beyond their control. That feeling of sudden loss and erasure is an apt description of the loss of the nation’s youth during the Vietnam War, and that message in and of itself is impactful for the nation’s youth of today who are yet again embroiled in a long, drawn-out, and bloody war. The time frame of the story, stretching from Halloween night through the election of Richard Nixon (2nd term) is also a really thoughtful structure that I don’t think I’ve seen before. Most Halloween movies end on November 1st and most election movies don’t mention Halloween at all. But aside from those spark of brilliance, the internal logic of the film doesn’t hold up very well. It’s thrilling when the deputy assumes that Stella’s friends have draft-dodged just like Ramone, but when Ramone leaves for war on the bus at the end, we’re sort of left wondering what lesson he’s learned from his experiences in the film. All in all, the film does a pretty poor job of commenting on the 60s just as much as it fails at encapsulating the problems of the present decade through the use of its horror metaphors.

Other kinds logical inconsistencies grate: we’re led to believe in a voice over toward the end that the lesson that Stella has learned from Sarah Bellows is “never to give up.” “If you keep on killing little children, someone will eventually solve the mystery of your death!” one Friend quipped afterwards. “There is no magic, only rage,” the old former help to the Bellows family intones during a farcically slapdash interview. This is often a problem in horror films. The chief perpetrator of the haunted violence is itself a victim, which tends to exculpate them of their present day crimes on account of “rage,” but is that really the right message? Is Sarah Bellows more rabid dog or disturbed foster child? Why is no one punished for the death of a cop at the end of this film? Presumably the other cop who leaves the children in prison for the night isn’t going to let them off scot-free? Even if I’m a little tired of giving supernaturals who act out a pass, it seems like meeting these traumatized ghosts on their level is the name of the game.

Richard Newby calls it “the Next Generation of Horror” and lingers on the empathic framework of the story and its characters which will prepare young movie goers for “social horror” films when they are more mature. Newby’s got it exactly right that Ovredal and Del Toro’s genius is about compelling the audience to sympathize with the grotesque, the radical integration of social groups that Northrop Frye describes as the duty of comedy is used as resolution in Del Toro’s work to great effect. It does no good to make the monsters evil–the woman in the hospital says, “This is a place of great evil,” not “I am a thing of great evil,” and that distinction is not quibble semantics.

My biggest sore point for the movie is that the film does such a poor job of creating a personal connection between the scary story and the person it’s associated with. Unlike in It, where each horror is designed to psychoanalyze the trauma of a band of school-aged friends, Scary Stories elects for “music over truth”, as Richard Hugo might’ve said. Probably the best scare is the first one in the corn field, and everything that you could possibly find scary about the other monsters is already laid out for you in detail in the trailer. The wax cylinder scene is a pretty good bit of horror no matter the age, but these moments are few and far between.… Expand
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3
Rr3209Dec 24, 2019
Extremely heavy-handed political narrative that focuses on irrelevant cultural points to the exclusion of compelling story and character development. I think Richard Nixon and modern commentary on Vietnam got more screen time than some of theExtremely heavy-handed political narrative that focuses on irrelevant cultural points to the exclusion of compelling story and character development. I think Richard Nixon and modern commentary on Vietnam got more screen time than some of the main characters. Every single modern film is simply a vehicle for political propaganda in 2019.A shameful waste of an awesome IP.… Expand
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0
CriticalwShltJan 30, 2020
Garbage. I give it a zero I would. It is pathetic stupid dumb and full of ****
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3
DaviduduDec 27, 2020
Very boring repetitive movie with very classical story, but realised wrong. Some characters as monster which wanted to kill Ramon are funny, not frightening.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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5
Trineo99Aug 10, 2019
First of all, I will admit that in a few cases that the CGI in this film was okay but I do know that they also used makeup to help make these creatures and whenever it was practical it looked well done. I’ve seen multiple things onlineFirst of all, I will admit that in a few cases that the CGI in this film was okay but I do know that they also used makeup to help make these creatures and whenever it was practical it looked well done. I’ve seen multiple things online comparing the creatures in the film to those in the book and you can see the level of detail the make-up people put into making them look as if they just popped right out of the book. As much as I want to say this film is scary it honestly isn’t. You can tell right away when a jump scare is about to happen because it’s such a cliché way. I will say that there was one point where I felt like I was going to vomit but it was one moment out of I don’t know how many. The pacing in this film is another big problem with this film. The film is one-hour and forty-one-minutes long and you feel it. The plot moves at a snail pace speed and the film keeps coming up with dumb ways to keep making the film longer. Like I said in the intro this feels like a long episode of a kids show like Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark and it probably would have been better as a two-part episode of one of those shows. The acting in this film was mediocre at best and I couldn’t really care about any of these characters. I don’t want to say which person it was but there was one character that could have been better recasted. In the end, I feel like this could have worked best as a TV Show than a full-length film. It ends off with a possible sequel that I think will never happen. I give Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark a 5.5/10.… Expand
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8
thatdannerAug 20, 2019
Guillermo Del Toro is truly one of the greatest masterminds when it comes to horrifying imagery. The book has so many terrifying monsters that Del Toro has absolutely done justice for. Not a moment during the movie was I bored until the end,Guillermo Del Toro is truly one of the greatest masterminds when it comes to horrifying imagery. The book has so many terrifying monsters that Del Toro has absolutely done justice for. Not a moment during the movie was I bored until the end, the rest of the movie is tense and surprising to the core. The performances are very good; the teenagers they got to act are much better than, say, the kids from Stranger Things. The movie takes bold turns, with unexpected twists to shock you at every turn. I found the plot, however, to be very similar to It (Chapter 1). Also, the final act is unfortunately anticlimactic and predictable, which really makes this movie lose its steam; because otherwise, it was fantastic. I recommend it to any horror fans; I was scared way more than I expected to be.… Expand
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3
Davisb123Aug 14, 2019
I really cannot understand why people like this movie. The plot and the dialogue are extremely basic and lazy. These main characters are so forgettable and should not take up nearly as much screen-time as they do. What saves this movie fromI really cannot understand why people like this movie. The plot and the dialogue are extremely basic and lazy. These main characters are so forgettable and should not take up nearly as much screen-time as they do. What saves this movie from being complete forgettable **** is the spectacular practical effects and costume design that we all know Guillermo del Toro for. I can understand the child-friendly direction this movie was going for but to me it just comes across as bland and poorly written. This loosely put together stock plot that we have seen many times before makes this movie almost unwatchable.… Expand
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8
FelicityFenwickAug 8, 2019
The lead actress is perfect.... this movie reminds me so much of Lean on Me, and even Super 8. Not terribly frightening - not nearly as scary as the text. Solidly entertaining.
2 of 7 users found this helpful25
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10
Duggan5555Aug 10, 2019
The movie was really good and impressed me and everyone else in the crowded theater i saw it in. Critics who saw it privately and were just trying to impress someone with their cut-throat review of a book written for teenagers that turnedThe movie was really good and impressed me and everyone else in the crowded theater i saw it in. Critics who saw it privately and were just trying to impress someone with their cut-throat review of a book written for teenagers that turned movie didn't get it. Go see this movie for yourself and i am sure you will be spooked and enjoy your time at the theater.… Expand
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2
TVJerryAug 13, 2019
This is yet another bland ghost story with creepy creatures (thanks primarily to producer Guillermo del Toro's design). It's set in 1968 and features a group of geeky teens out to solve the mystery of a book that creates stories, whileThis is yet another bland ghost story with creepy creatures (thanks primarily to producer Guillermo del Toro's design). It's set in 1968 and features a group of geeky teens out to solve the mystery of a book that creates stories, while killing its victims. Unlike STRANGER THINGS or IT, the period references lack fun nostalgia and the kids are a bland combo of stereotypes. The title is a misnomer too. It's never scary…not even a good jump scare. The plot is predictable and the killings aren't original and definitely not frightening. The original books are written for young audiences, which explains why none of it works for grownups.… Expand
1 of 6 users found this helpful15
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6
imthenoobAug 14, 2019
The movie did a solid job at building the suspense and the characters, As well as providing a decently scary film despite the PG-13 rating. My only gripes would be the cliched ending and the fact that an R rating would have provided aThe movie did a solid job at building the suspense and the characters, As well as providing a decently scary film despite the PG-13 rating. My only gripes would be the cliched ending and the fact that an R rating would have provided a slightly more enjoyable film. Aside from that, I had no issues with it. I watched it with 2 other people and we all agreed that it was good enough that we would happily see a sequel.… Expand
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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1
ShiningLionOct 25, 2021
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It caught me entirely off guard that this film was as bad as it is, considering the names attached to its production. It's the worst movie I've seen in years. For starters it is visually ugly and horribly shot. There are moments where scenes are too dark, and you'll see four consecutive shots of who knows what because you're lucky to make out a shape or two on screen. Rather than build suspense it's simply disorienting. This film doesn't excite or thrill so much as it just makes you uncomfortable. Most of the movie is shot upwards at the actors faces from about waist height, giving everyone an unflattering odd appearance. Several shots have a bubbled fish-eye look like someone shot them with the selfie mode on their iphone. Conversations are awkwardly shot where when the camera switches between two people, both appear on the same side of the screen, so it looks like they aren't facing each other. From a film-making point of view this film looks like it was made by high schoolers with expensive cameras. Not kidding.

I wish the technical issues were where this film's problems end, but they're not. It's plodding, boring, and all of the "stories" featured in the film aren't even told or explained in the film, so if you aren't well-versed on the books you aren't going to understand anything going on other than "the book makes monsters come out b/c some tortured girl wrote them". Wow how deep.

Worst of all is that this film was a surprise bomb for weird woke propaganda, your daily BS reminder from Hollywood that white people, especially men, are evil. All four characters that die are white males, some we are led to believe deserved it, some just too weak and cowardly to defend themselves. A supposedly Mexican kid gets called a w*tb*ck and has his car vandalized by bullies, gets threats and intimidation from a white cop. There's even a way the film randomly manages to flash back to the dark time in American history when blacks were owned as slaves just so they can show a little black slave girl about to be beat. And don't worry, Asians, there's some victimhood reminders in there for you too, as the film is peppered with completely irrelevant (to the plot) shots of Nixon and the Vietnam war. None of the victimized characters get any real justice in the film, I should add, so it's even more pointless and confusing why they added these social justice elements.

The acting was bad and inconsistent. I knew from the moment I watched a character fish his own turd from a toilet on screen that something was off about this movie, and from there the whole film just became a big flaming turd of weird out of place woke propaganda, with nothing to say about its own story, or its social justice undertones. The film ends in the most cliche way imaginable (someone tells the ghost they'll set the record straight about them and their abusers, tell people the real story, and asks the ghost to stop being a meanie, and the haunting stops). Keep your kids far away from this film and any sequel that might come from it. It was an utter brain fart filled with confusing and damaging messaging. How "woke" that the only character in there that black kids might see as "representation" is a little slave girl about to get flogged. Why push this stuff on kids? The mini-stories within the film are never explained, including the weird phrase that the jangling man says, so it's basically an advertisement for the books that doesn't work as a stand-alone movie. The film's ending has the main girl preach to the ghost that enough is enough when it comes to rage for past abuse and she needs to not become a monster like them. It would almost feel like a jab at violent social justice warriors who use their obsession with past victimhood to assume the worst in everyone and harm others, if the film wasn't so tepid and confusing with its messaging. Rather it comes off as just poor writing with no real meaning. Is this film woke or anti-woke? Who knows. I think it was trying to say something on the topic but just pandered to both sides in the weirdest way and failed miserably to say anything real. The main character is a self-hating dork who blames herself for everything right up through the end of the film. That's apparently what the writers think the audience will relate to. How inspiring.

I give this film 1 star for the jangling man scenes because they did a good job on that monster being pretty freaky. Nothing else in this film was remotely interesting or scary, just gross, boring, and uncomfortable. Save yourself two overdrawn hours of your life and a handful of yawns. This aint the new Halloween classic you're looking for.… Expand
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5
JLuis_001Sep 2, 2019
This stayed halfaway, quite halfway.
I applaud that it communicates its story with a more spooky atmosphere instead of being violently graphic or to recurr to gore. Obvioulsy with a PG-13 rating that was going to be hard but the problem isThis stayed halfaway, quite halfway.
I applaud that it communicates its story with a more spooky atmosphere instead of being violently graphic or to recurr to gore. Obvioulsy with a PG-13 rating that was going to be hard but the problem is that despite the title, this wasn't scary at all.

I couldn't help feeling the whole time that I was watching an overlong episode of ''Are You Afraid of The Dark?'' only with more budget.… Expand
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5
bataguilaAug 21, 2019
Los monstruos estan bien hechos, el problema que las historias no dan miedo, los niños caen mal, termina absurdo.
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2
LajaleaaAug 20, 2019
"Stories heal. Stories hurt."
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( 25/100 ) . Inútil, cliché y desvergonzada. "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" es justo el cine que pensé que ya se había superado y nos enseñó a que merecemos algo mucho mejor. Andre Ovredal dirige esta"Stories heal. Stories hurt."
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( 25/100 )
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Inútil, cliché y desvergonzada. "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" es justo el cine que pensé que ya se había superado y nos enseñó a que merecemos algo mucho mejor.
Andre Ovredal dirige esta adaptación de los cuentos y dibujos ubicados en la novela de Alvin Schwartz que, con Guillermo Del Toro a bordo, se convirtió en un film que promete ser escrupulosa con sus criaturas. Nada más fuera de la realidad, la película es simplemente un desperdicio.
Después de vengarse en Halloween, Stella, Ramón, Auggie y Chuck (Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush y AustinZajur) son perseguidos hasta una "casa embrujada" en donde, según una leyenda, una chica llamada Sarah Bellows fue encerrada porque estaba loca. En un cuarto secreto los chicos encuentran el libro de historias de terror de Sarah y, después de retar a la leyenda, se convierten en victimas de ella misma.
La grosería de la película está en el reciclaje tanto narrativo como visual. La historia va exactamente hacia donde cualquier aventura de terror melodramática de los 70s y 80s termina. También pretende ganar valor a través de un método audiovisual muy anticuado: el "jump-scare". El 90% de los "sustos" se dan por el golpe de sonido, lo cual es muy bajo hoy en día, incluso para Del Toro. Las criaturas están bien hechas, pero su propósito solo es persecutorio: No hay un trasfondo o utilidad mayor en esta colección de diseños que el de perseguir y matar. La historia, por su parte, pretende manipular emocionalmente al público con un grito de empoderamiento que, fuera de ser lógico, es meramente conveniente. Los personajes dados a los actores simplemente reducen su talento a gritos, patadas y caras asustadas. Y no importa que el discurso final se de entre lagrimas y fuerza emocional, la historia lo reduce a algo, repito, meramente conveniente. La película demuestra que hay un presente abuso del reciclaje de narrativas que encierra al público en un consumo inútil. Yo ya estoy harto de eso.
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Pointless, cliché and shameless. "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" is just the cinema that I thought it was already overcome and taught us that we deserve something a lot better.
Andre Ovredal directs this adaptation of the stories and draws located in Alvin Schwartz's novel that, with Guillermo Del Toro on board, it became a film that promises to be scrupulous with its creatures. Nothing more outside of reality, the movie es simply a waste.
After taking revenge on Halloween, Stella, Ramón, Auggie and Chuck (Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush y Austin Zajur) are chased to a "hunted house" where, according to the legend, a woman called Sarah Bellows was locked in one secret room because she was crazy. The kids find the room and the book of scary stories of Bellows in there and, after challenging the legend, they become victims of the same one.
The vulgarity of the movie is in its narrative and visual recycling. The story goes exactly to whichever horror adventure melodramatic of the 70s and 80s ends. It also pretends to acquire value through a very antiquated method: the jump-scare. 90% of the "scares" are produced by the hit of the sound, which is very low, even for Del Toro. The creatures are well made, but their porpoise is just persecutory: There's no background or utility beyond in this collection of designs that the one of chasing and killing. The story, by itself, wants to manipulate the public emotionally with an empowerment scream that, far from being logic, es merely convenient. The given characters to the actors reduce their talent just to screams, kicks and scared faces. And it doesn't matter that the final speech was given between tears and emotional strength, the story reduces it to something, I repeat, merely convenient. The movie shows that there’s a present abuse of recycled narratives that enclosure the public in pointless consumerism. I'm already tired of that.… Expand
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6
theredskyAug 14, 2019
This is a decent movie. It’s not great but it definitely has its moments. Here are the negatives. The script for the film for the most part sucks. The dialogue feels incredibly weird and forced that it feels awkward. Another issue is thatThis is a decent movie. It’s not great but it definitely has its moments. Here are the negatives. The script for the film for the most part sucks. The dialogue feels incredibly weird and forced that it feels awkward. Another issue is that half of the characters in this film have little to no development. The two leads have backstories that are interesting while the other two, Chuck and Auggie, just don’t have any stories behind them. All we know is that they are friends with the lead character. I read some of the short stories before seeing the actual film and the film is just not as terrifying as the novel. The film is definitely creepy and somewhat scary but it isn’t as scary as the novel it is based on. Here are the positives. I think the acting is great from everyone. Most of the cast consists of teen actors and I think they all do a great job. The film knows how to build tension really well. The corn field scene is a perfect example. There is always a sense of dread looming over the sequence until the scarecrow finally appears. The creature designs are really cool and creepy. The Pale Lady and Harold are really cool looking and creepy to look at. Some of the scenarios that happen in the movie make your skin crawl. Most of those scenes are genuinely creepy and make you wonder why this film isn’t rated R. The production design for this movie is pretty good. I enjoy each set piece and they all felt real. The editing is pretty good for the most part and the cinematography is decent. There are some really cool shots though many of which revolve around The Pale Lady and the Jangly Man. The pacing and tone both remain consistent. Overall, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a decent horror film which great acting and really good monster design but lacks a good script and isn’t as terrifying as the original novel. I give Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark a 6/10.… Expand
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6
ExosphereSep 25, 2019
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is not a bad film by any means, but I truly believe it could have been a lot better. The movie itself caught me off guard with its beautiful cinematography, but annoyed me with its use of false jumps scares.Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is not a bad film by any means, but I truly believe it could have been a lot better. The movie itself caught me off guard with its beautiful cinematography, but annoyed me with its use of false jumps scares. I really wanted to find this movie scary, but there were incredibly few moments where any scare caught me off guard and that’s not something I want with horror films of any kind. This results in the movie being less memorable than it could have been. I’d still recommend Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, especially if you grew up with the original stories.… Expand
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6
Megannicole78Oct 23, 2019
It was not bad but I definitely was expecting a bit better it worth the watch
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3
rappM95Oct 31, 2020
A better version of Goosebumps since it doesn’t have Jack Black. Still, the overarching theme is convoluted, and the plot line makes no sense. Would’ve been better as an anthology to really mete out all the stories. I think the high scoresA better version of Goosebumps since it doesn’t have Jack Black. Still, the overarching theme is convoluted, and the plot line makes no sense. Would’ve been better as an anthology to really mete out all the stories. I think the high scores are based in nostalgia instead of quality.… Expand
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2
TriforceGemMar 10, 2022
The surrounding narrative that was written only detracts from the stories. The end is so cheesy and shallow. The only thing this movie has going for it is the creature design. Otherwise, this movie is not worth watching. And is some strangeThe surrounding narrative that was written only detracts from the stories. The end is so cheesy and shallow. The only thing this movie has going for it is the creature design. Otherwise, this movie is not worth watching. And is some strange pro-war and pro-Nixon propaganda??? Like why?? Awful

It should have been an anthology of short stories.… Expand
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7
Rox22Sep 4, 2022
A kind of nice and creepy movie, perfect for Halloween. A collection of tales pieced together within a central plot and surprisingly well delivered. Good writing and world building, but the main cast are a little flat in their development.A kind of nice and creepy movie, perfect for Halloween. A collection of tales pieced together within a central plot and surprisingly well delivered. Good writing and world building, but the main cast are a little flat in their development.

Not the best movie, but it does have some old school charm that doesn't rely in shock and gore to deliver scares. Overall: A creepy set of tales with a some old fashioned fun.… Expand
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6
SteezyeetNov 10, 2019
I really enjoyed watching this movie but the jumpscares are just too predictable as in every movie nowadays but i did enjoy the design of the monsters and the characters were also pretty likeable. I didnt think that the movie was scary at allI really enjoyed watching this movie but the jumpscares are just too predictable as in every movie nowadays but i did enjoy the design of the monsters and the characters were also pretty likeable. I didnt think that the movie was scary at all and the story wasnt that great but its still really entertaining and nice to watch. Don't expect something special while watching this, but if you keep your expectations a little lower you'll probably enjoy it too :)… Expand
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7
TrilobietmanJan 21, 2023
I'm just going to be honest. Good story, few jumpscares. Actually a kind of children's horror movie. (I mean 13 plus) Fairly little gore. And has a happy ending. There was quite little depth in the film when you realize that the film was madeI'm just going to be honest. Good story, few jumpscares. Actually a kind of children's horror movie. (I mean 13 plus) Fairly little gore. And has a happy ending. There was quite little depth in the film when you realize that the film was made by Guillermo Del Toro.

Conclusion:
Nice horror film for if you like atmosphere and a great story. For the diehard horror fans it is a fairly quiet and slow film.
Overall a 7/10.… Expand
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8
cris699Jul 6, 2023
Very underrated horror film, it deserves more recognition than the pure garbage that Warner Bros puts out with its Conjuring universe.
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6
CarlElmoreNov 22, 2022
The visual effects, costumes and makeup are all amazing. It's a shame that the story isn't very interesting.
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