Excellent drama with a good message worthy of at least an 8 out of 10. The movie centers on a child's fear of the dark and there are many scary and dramatic moments climaxing in how to come to terms with ones fears. The script is good, the acting convincing and the direction very professional. And the youngsters who are the main leads give quality performances. Well done to those making this movie. More of the same please!

The gist is, there's this kid who is afraid of the dark. He sees things in the dark that others do not. What culminates from his fear is one of those 'dark and stormy night' scenarios with some very intense moments loaded with suspense.

It's an excellent play on everyone's favorite childhood drama (including the Closet Monster) and the devisive measures kids take to ensure late-night safety (stay completely tucked in). I dare say the evils that await him in the pitch of night are genuinely creative and pretty darn threatening. There are some jumpy moments that renewed my faith in screenwriters and directors of the modern horror genre. I strongly urge all horror geeks to check into this one, even if you don't think it's your cup of tea. It will literally take you back to that time in place in your life when a pile of clothes in the corner of your bedroom was as threatening as the schoolyard bully--only worse!

Sure, this is not a perfect movie but it beats the heck out of the boring horror drivel that's being released these days in theaters. Why this 2002 film was so overlooked is a mystery to me. It was 1,000 times better than 'Darkness Falls' or 'They' and doesn't even compare to crappy films like 'Cabin Fever' or 'House of the Dead'. I checked this one out at a local Blockbuster and if you like things that go bump in the night, you should too!

Give this movie a chance even if your horror level is high. I mean, for example, if your favorite horror movie is "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974), or "Halloween" (1978) it's likely that you won't like "Fear of the Dark". The movie is PG-13 but it has some creepiness that makes it watchable. The best thing about the movie is the creepy setting. You've seen it before; thunderstorm, lights out, a cellar, kids alone in the house, etc. but believe me, it's creepy. The highlight in the movie is in my opinion, the old lady that comes out of the closet. Also, the killer (somehow inspired by Freddy Kruger) is scary looking. Good effort on that!

"Fear of the Dark" is directed for a younger audience that likes horror and that is obvious because there isn't a single gory moment in the movie but gore is replaced by some jump-out of your seat scenes. It's like you are watching an episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" but only creepier.

I would only recommend it to newcomers to the genre or die hard fans of the genre with lots of patience...