Afraid of the Dark is that rarest of beasts in the current gore and effects driven market---a thriller that pulls it's punches and leaves you wondering what the hell is actually going on. Though not as good as either Repulsion or Peeping Tom, Afraid of the Dark is a decent addition to the tradition of British psychological cinema. The first half of the film is essentially a fantasy seen through the eyes of a young boy (played very well by Ben Keyworth) who...oops, musn't give too much away. The viewer only starts to get a hang on reality during the final two reels, and by the time the film ends we can only really guess at what has actually happened, and (more importantly) why.
An outstanding supporting cast adds depth to a film that brings into question the nature of reality and explores the illusion of the camera's gaze.
An outstanding supporting cast adds depth to a film that brings into question the nature of reality and explores the illusion of the camera's gaze.