Over the past decade, Mexican auteur Guillermo del Toro has emerged as a guiding force in fantasy filmmaking, both as a director, but more importantly as a producer and facilitator for other filmmakers. Since 2001 del Toro has been credited in one form or another on over 20 films, whether bringing high profile Spanish language projects to the screen, like The Orphanage, Julia’s Eyes and Biutiful, or more family-friendly fare like Kung Fu Panda 2 or the forthcoming Shrek spin-off, Puss in Boots. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark falls somewhere between these two camps, adapted from a 1973 TV movie by del Toro, but directed by first-timer Troy Nixey. Featuring an 11-year-old female protagonist and tapping into childhood fears of darkness and abandonment, the film may very well prove too frightening for young audiences but not scary enough for adults.

In almost all of del Toro’s films, save for the Hellboy series, his central protagonist is a child, and Don’t be Afraid of the Dark proves no exception. Sally (Bailee Madison) comes to live with her father (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes) as they renovate a large country house. The previous owners disappeared under mysterious circumstances many years before, but it was somehow connected to the concealed basement, and before long Sally is hearing voices beckoning her to come downstairs and “play”. The film teases its audience in various directions – perhaps the house is haunted by its previous occupants, or inhabited by some other devilish entity. It might all be the construct of Sally’s overactive imagination. Instead of teasing out these possibilities, the film shows its hand far too early on, only to struggle to keep us engaged for the remainder of the film.

Don’t be Afraid of the Dark looks both gorgeous and ghastly, in the grand gothic style for which del Toro has become associated. Taking place almost entirely within the confines of the house and its elaborate gardens, we are seduced by the opulent surroundings, but also suffocated by the dark corridors and shadowy corners. The house feels alive, so much so that it threatens to eclipse and outclass the actors onscreen, while Nixey’s direction is largely anonymous. Pearce plays the predictably frustrating rationalist who won’t believe this talk of voices and creatures, while Holmes’ character is too preoccupied with ensuring Sally likes her to notice anything else going on around her. It is therefore left to Madison to be the sole focus of audience sympathy, which she can’t fully sustain.

What should have been a beautiful and devilish slice of Halloween entertainment quickly becomes weighed down by the contrivances and inconsistencies of the plot, coupled with a lack of strong characters able to rise above the film’s overwhelming visual aesthetic. Not without its moments of fun, Don’t be Afraid of the Dark never quite manages to step out of del Toro’s shadow and reveal its true identity.