Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Review

Although the film adaptation of Alvin Schwartz's novel Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark directed by André Øvredal features horror elements that are both remarkably creative and wonderfully diverse, the film stumbles due to the consistent inability to push its narrative boundaries into more unpredictable directions. The teenage target audience who are less accustomed to horror movies will laud the imaginative monsters and the easy to follow storyline, but those familiar with the genre will more than likely find the film filled with clichés and foreseeable plot shifts that happen far too often. While its effective world-building and mix of horror and humor inject life into both the characters and creatures, much of what drives the film is too generic to fully get engrossed in, ultimately leaving much of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark entertaining yet unrewarding.

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark takes place in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania, a quaint community that remains burdened by the legend of the Bellows, an infamously wicked family that lived in the town long ago. On Halloween night in 1968, four teenagers, Stella, Augie, Chuck, and Ramon, investigate an old haunted mansion that was once owned by the Bellows, familiar with the legends of daughter Sarah Bellows and her deadly tales of horror. Inside, the group accidentally discovers a secret room within the house. Eventually finding a book of folklore written by Sarah herself. Eager to read what’s inside, Stella takes the book and brings it home, not realizing the unimaginable dangers that will soon be conjured by doing so.

The film suffers from a story that can seem indecisive with what it’s trying to say, but the collection of horrific monsters and ghosts partnered with Øvredal’s directing and the moody lighting of cinematographer Roman Osin that ultimately prevents the film from becoming forgettable. Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark achieves a remarkable atmosphere and tone that feels incredibly fitting for the narrative, all told within a detailed set design that helps make everything feel natural and lived in.

Unfortunately, the majority of positive takeaways from Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark are aesthetic, the films imaginative creature design is too often bound in story moments that are executed predictably and feel cheap. It’s an unfortunate formulaic approach to a project that is visually brimming with detail and thought.

Despite being pleasing to look at, the film ultimately runs out of steam due to its unadventurous and somewhat safe screenplay. It’s a movie that doesn’t utilize its creative design enough to become memorable but still manages to be entertaining throughout. Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark will be an enjoyable film for the same age range that the novel aims to please, but doesn’t offer nearly as much for others.

Creative and aesthetically thought out yet narratively linear, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark accomplishes enough with its spooky atmosphere and collection of monsters to make up for its fairly generic storyline.

Produced By: Entertainment One
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: PG-13