Scary Storied To Tell In The Dark

I recently read that producer Guillermo del Toro did not wish to make a “standard” anthology film. He stated that a traditional anthology horror film is only as good as the weakest story. So, instead he decided to write a wraparound story linking all the other stories together. Somebody should have told him that an “unorthodox” anthology is only as good as the weak wraparound story holding it together. The wraparound here, involving a cringingly cliched vengeful spirit, seems to have been created purely as a plot device to perpetuate sequels in the theaters or an ongoing series on streaming services should this film perform well at the Box Office.

On he bright side, the film is teeming with that vintage Spielberg/Amblin Entertainment mid-’80s vibe (think ET, Goonies, Gremlins), but with a slightly darker patina. It also seems to be trying to capitalize on the whole Stranger Things bandwagon.

Apart from the dark ambiance, there are few scares and some interesting creature design. However, there are quite a few editing gaffs that make several scenes feel out of timeline and the ending of the film not only feels rushed, but is quietly confusing. As for the intelligence and ingenuity of the main characters? Given their precocious nature it’s seriously lacking. Honestly, once the kids figured out what was happening with the book of scary stories, they should have been quicker on the uptake to end the madness (“The Toe” story has a HUGE plot gap and an idiot protagonist, not to mention his helpless/clueless friends).

There are also quite a few really bad special effect moments, particularly the speedy bugs that crawl all over a scarecrow’s face in the first segment. I am sure that somebody thought lots of CG created roly-polies running up and down a scarecrow’s face was scary, but they were misguided.

The film is something of a letdown considering the creative team involved. Overall this is pretty tame horror fare, especially given the Guillermo del Toro stamp of approval. If you are an older horror connoisseur, then this endeavor will be rather boring, but I imagine if you are a tween in Junior High, then this might very well be your jam.

Rating: 2/5