Little Sally Hirst (Bailey Madison) has to go live with her dad Alex (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) in the scary house they’re restoring. We know from the prologue that Emerson Blackwood (Garry McDonald) used to hide in the basement ripping out victims’ teeth to feed the creatures that whisper to him. So it’s going to be rough for Sally.

Don't Be Afraid Of This 'Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark' Trailer

The plot structure is basic and effective. Sally starts hearing the whispers and the creatures leave gifts for her, but then they start ripping Kim’s clothes and making trouble. Of course the grown-ups don’t believe her. Actually, it’s Alex who’s so obsessed with making the cover of Architecture Digest that he tries to micromanage Sally into behaving. Kim seems sympathetic, at least that Sally should get some sensitive attention, if not totally buying into the creatures.

Nixey does the creature tease well with glimpses, keeping the creatures hidden but present enough that they’re part of the movie. Alex sticks his ears so close he almost gets nicked, but that’s just a joke. Seeing the creatures in shadow from Sally’s foot level is cute and whimsical.

The creatures attack with deft skill though. You definitely get your money’s worth in several scenes of full on little armies stabbing and grabbing the groundskeeper and embarrassing Alex at his dinner party. Those are great sequences.

The only distracting aspect of the film is an apparent anti-psychiatry bent. Sally’s mom has her on Aderol and Alex’s psychiatrist friend wants to prescribe more for Sally. It may be effective to set a monster movie in the world of obtuse adults, but when you cast the wife of the most vocal spokesperson against prescription medication, it can’t help but feel like an agenda. And it was probably only meant to show that the grown-ups don’t get Sally, but that’s where my mind goes.

I like seeing a creature movie where the creatures interact with the world. Horror movies don’t scare me so I have to appreciate them on a different level. I don’t know if Dark will scare you but it’s entertaining and creative.

Check out the spookeriffic poster for producer Guillermo Del Toro‘s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark below. Those hands under the stairs are the movie itself, grasping to reach the surface after getting locked into a film basement, following the sale of Miramax. Now it’s finally escaping into theaters, specifically to grab you by the ankles, on August 26, 2011. Though the poster says the 12th, but that’s just a trick meant to confuse and frighten you.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark follows the story of a young girl who has to live with her father and his new girlfriend, because her mom abandoned her. There’s nothing scarier for kids than the thought of a parent abandoning them… other than evil night goblins. Night goblins is a close #2. Curse you, night goblins. Terrorizing our nation’s children broken home children.

Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes star in the film, directed by Troy Nixey. (Fangoria)

_{Here comes the tickle monster!}

Miramax has released the trailer for Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, a horror film remake written and co-produced by scare guru Guillermo del Toro. I saw this first at Comic-Con (don’t be jealous, it doesn’t suit you), and I’ll admit, the last part made me jump in my seat. But I’m still totally 100% man. They also screened a clip that dealt with teeth and a hammer. Use your imagination. Nope, it was still cooler than that.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark centers on a young girl who is sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend, and if that wasn’t bad enough, she discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own. It’s not to be confused with the old Nickelodeon show “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” even though I’m sure you can find almost the exact story in the archives.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark hits theaters January 21, 2011.

Check out the trailer after the jump…

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark in HD

Trailer Park Movies | MySpace Video

Director: Troy Nixey

Cast: Guy Pearce, Katie Holmes

Synopsis: A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own.

Release Date: January 21, 2011