Review | Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark’s creepy onslaught works a treat

Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark is a surprising, fun and a legit scary PG-13 movie.

If Goosebumps took itself seriously, where characters could actually die — then we’d get Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, the film adaptation of an 80s children’s horror book series banned by The American Library Association. Using tried and tested tropes, the movie produced by renowned spookster Guillermo del Toro and helmed by director André Øvredal does the job of creeping out audiences.

It also helps to have a solid source material. Thanks to artist Stephen Gammell’s original illustrations as references, the monsters made from mostly practical effects are eerie enough to give someone nightmares. Alvin Schwartz’s short stories are terrifying to begin with, giving a 60s version of The Breakfast Club a hell of a time dodging monsters specifically written for each one of them. 

The one-undead-thing-after-another onslaught works a treat, supplying a streak of freakish challenges. Not every one comes out alive, some do not even leave a body. That is the beauty of this horror film - it does not need to show gore to terrify you.

It could have been more interesting if the stories and the monsters are interconnected. On the other hand, the movie is a fitting homage to the infamous collection of scary stories that terrorized a generation. This riff is surprisingly good and gives a satisfying time for jumpscares and screams in the cinema.

Rating: 8/10

The reviewer won tickets to the private screening of the movie from @magandabamovie. Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark is now showing in the Philippines.