A Somewhat Scary Story to Watch in the Dark

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was directed by Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal, working off a script by Dan and Kevin Hageman. Producer Guillermo del Toro developed the story alongside Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. The film was released in theaters nationwide on August 9, 2019.

The cast consists of Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, and Lorraine Toussaint.

The film’s page on IMDB lists this as the official synopsis (even though it’s quite vague):

“A group of teens faces their fears in order to save their lives.”

For those of you who are interested in how I expressed my thoughts in front of a camera, the above video has a reasonable timecode of 8:34. Otherwise, keep reading on for a written summary of how I feel about Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark!

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Having grown up on the original Scary Stories books collected by Alvin Schwartz, this was something I was genuinely curious about. The idea of taking those original stories and appropriating them into a new, original narrative seemed fascinating. I would have been fine with an anthology that directly adapted selected stories into short films, but this creative approach intrigued me nonetheless.

Getting Guillermo del Toro on board was another logical step in the right direction. Hiring an Oscar-winning producer and filmmaker known for inventive, fantastical stories (especially in the horror genre) made sense for this project.

With that, the stage was set for what one would think is a solid project. For some, the results of this collaboration worked out. A good amount of filmgoers appreciated what this film did in spinning a creepy yarn for prepubescents, in addition to capturing nostalgia for those who were raised on the books. On those levels, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is satisfying. Such is especially the case in the sequences which mirror the short stories they’re inspired by, such as the animated scarecrow Harold or the pale white woman with the black hair.

Yet, the failings of the horror genre held this back from greatness. The characters are about as cookie-cutter as they come, with most of them being definable by either quips or a singular attribute; this even applies to the bland, predictable lead protagonist. While the actors do a passable job in their respective performances, it’s clear that their potential was limited by the material. Not only that, the story suffered since the horror didn’t feel as palpable when bland characters were at the forefront.

And no matter how many times I reiterate that point, I will continue forever: a good horror movie needs a solid story. If the main attempts at building fear are tired, played-out jump scare moments, then what are you left with? I asked myself this question while the film shamelessly set up a completely unearned sequel, making me wonder if the undeniably great recreations of Stephen Gammell’s artwork were worth the time spent.

Some will think differently, but I don’t think I got a satisfying answer.

SCORE: C

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AGE RECOMMENDATION: While I won’t argue that Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark isn’t appropriate for kids, I am not sure if the maturity level needed to process this is that high either. Certainly, there is visceral violence and death depicted here, but the lack of blood and disgusting imagery lessen the impact. Also, the distinct low amounts of profanity and sexual content make this palatable for younger audiences. Even so, the younger end of the teenage crowd may be the minimum limit here. (13+)