Films about haunted houses hiding a threat have become popular in the horror genre. Last year, barbarian surprised by the plot of a mysterious place inhabited by monsters. The same thing happened with Relic: Cursed Legacy, by Natalie Erica James, who posed a danger due to the legacy of the ruined mansion. IN Do not be afraiddirector Samuel Boden also adds fairy tale elements.
In the screenplay by Chris Thomas Devlin, dimly lit rooms with cobweb corners and long hallways add to the fear. Especially in children’s horrors, which, according to the plot, are presented as incomprehensible to adults. How Gretel and HanselThe feature film by Oz Perkins takes up the idea that children’s fear can trigger supernatural elements.
It all starts when Peter (Woody Norman) hears someone knocking on his bedroom wall in the middle of the night. But only he hears the sounds. Her mother Carol (Lizzy Caplan) insists it is a figment of her imagination and explains her own experience. So is Mark (Anthony Starr), his father. However, Do not be afraid hints that something else is hidden behind this inflexible position. Especially when knocking on walls becomes a form of communication with a strange creature.
Do not be afraid
Directed by Samuel Boden, the film combines haunted houses with a sentimental story about a boy who is haunted by supernatural powers. But what could have been an interesting storyline, especially if you imagine her parents as a possible enemy, falls apart in a cliché-filled second hour that emphasizes defeating evil through familial love. Despite a good introduction and a quality visual section, Do not be afraid it frustrates by not delving into the conflicts that arise, or by doing so in a predictable way. The result is a closure that detracts from the original efforts to create a believable intimidating atmosphere.
secrets of the walls
Do not be afraid he tries to ensure that there is never a complete certainty about what is going on with Peter. On several occasions, he hinted that he would be able to make up the existence of the paranormal just to get his parents’ attention. In others, that he was in a situation that he could not afford. A plot trap that more or less kicks in during the first half hour of the movie.
The script, thanks to the visual part created by Philippe Lozano, keeps the origin of children’s fear secret. Doors take on menacing shapes, and rooms are potential shelters for unknown creatures. At the same time, he tries to tell the story of his protagonist. Peter has been a victim of loneliness, bullying, and even emotional abuse in the family. Which makes him the perfect victim for a supernatural attack.
However, in the second half Do not be afraid she is forced to reveal her secret. This takes the story into the familiar territory of a mystery that will be solved through familial love. Thus, the feature film loses the opportunity to explore topics of interest, such as the possible threat that parents may pose. Even though he made it a central issue before hinting that suspicion was a real threat.
What he regrets in the film is that the script uses mediocre stunts that could have given more of itself and well-constructed visuals. The director fails to deceive the viewer with classic tricks, such as filling the plot with distractions and trying to hide the obvious, which he clumsily does. In your last moments Do not be afraid it becomes a set of clichés that detract from the efforts of the first hour.
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In 2023, several horror films explore parent-child relationships in their darkest dimension. Boogeyman: Your fear is real showed a creature that feeds on sadness and mourning. By the time summer has come Tell mefound out that contact with tormented souls through motherly love can be part of a terrifying experience.
Do not be afraid trying to do the same, but the result is much smaller. Predictable and at times banal and sentimental, he finds no balance between telling a scary story and penetrating the feelings of the characters. The most remarkable thing about the film is its visual component and the atmosphere that its director manages to create. But besides that, this is another horror movie that doesn’t know how to keep the tension to the end and loses the ability to interest long before it comes to an end.
Source: Hiper Textual
