Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Starring: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn
Directed by: Andre Ovredal
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Horror
2019

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In 1968, a group of high school students discover a supernatural notebook full of scary stories that come true as they read them.

Review:

Tim: I grew up reading Alvin Schwartz's books, so I was cautiously optimistic about this horror film adaptation. The movie makes many intelligent decisions in adapting the book, while telling its own unique story. This was critical, as there isn't much of a narrative in a book of short stories. The movie does an effective job of branching out on its own, while still staying true to the spirit of the books.

The story is fairly standard- a group of high school kids get caught up in a supernatural plot, involving a cursed woman's scary stories, which come to life with frightening and deadly consequences. The plot was fine- it feels slightly recycled from other films, but it was told well enough that it was still enjoyable to watch. This movie might not have innovated anything, but there's a lot of value in the execution, and Andre Ovredal directs this film with a steady hand and a clear vision. It accomplishes what it set out to be. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will never be a classic horror movie or even an incredibly memorable one, but it's a well-made, effective film and that deserves praise.

The cast was fine, albeit a bit less talented than I would have liked. Zoe Margaret Colletti was fine in the lead role. She wasn't your "typical" horror movie heroine, but was relatable enough. I wouldn't say I loved her performance, but I had no issues with it. Michael Garza was fairly decent in his role. Again, nothing about this felt like a star-making turn, but he's more than serviceable. Gabriel Rush was a little dull, but had some nice comedic moments. Austin Abrams was sufficiently diabolical and added a lot to the film in his antagonistic role. Austin Zajur had a few solid comedic moments, but his performance too often felt manic, over-the-top, and hard to believe. I was a bit surprised he didn't show more restraint. I'm not sure if I could pinpoint anything that Natalie Ganzhorn added that two dozen actresses couldn't have done better. I liked seeing Dean Norris and Gil Bellows, but both have fairly few opportunities to contribute to the film.

The movie is really able to separate itself with its incredible depiction of some of these horrific creatures. The scarecrow scene is memorable and that character just stands out in your mind. The Pale Lady is equally as grotesque, unnatural, and effective. That scene was creepy and entertaining. The Jangly Man was fairly decent as well. The movie gets a big boost from the effective visual effects bringing these creatures to life. They really are the stuff that nightmares are made of, and are a big reason why this movie is so effective. The zombie looking for his toe wasn't as good, and the spiders offered some disgusting body horror, but I was less of a fan of that. The ending of the film is okay- it's generic and a bit expected, but it doesn't hurt the overall movie too much.

We've been fortunate to live in a time of a bit of renaissance in the horror genre. We've had a number of great movies over the last few years, and a surprising number of good ones. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark has its flaws, but it's really a fairly well made, enjoyable horror movie. It ultimately tells a story a bit too close to the most common horror movie paths, but the visual effects help to set the movie apart. This is a movie I had fun watching and would definitely recommend to horror film fans.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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