Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark Reviews
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1. "...Though the man totally got lucky with the casting of Bailee Madison as Sally, who proves herself to be a young talent worth looking out for. The 10 year old is proficient in playing a fairly nuanced character, but moreover she carries the emotional baggage for the audience that centers the film. "
Jason Adams @ JoBlo.Com
2. "Madison as the beleaguered child is terrific, sensitive and saucy and just the type of tyke who can release the forces of nature, both good and evil."
Duane Byrge @ Holltwood Reporter
3. "Bailee Madison carries this film on her shoulders and she does it amazingly well!"
Justin L. Smith @ Ain't It cool News
4. "Young Bailee Madison is key to the success of these segments. She is, without question, the standout element of the film: a tough, scared, unsentimental, unaffected child performance. With better projects under her belt, she could have a Dakota Fanning-level career ahead of her."
Josh Katz @ Culture Mob
5. "In terms of the acting, all three leads do a fantastic job, particularly Bailee Madison and Katie Holmes. The only thing I’d seen Bailee Madison in was Brothers (which she did great in), but I was really astounded by how good she was in this. It’s tough for adults to act convincingly in horror films, which makes it all the more impressive that a 10 year old carries the weight of most of the pivotal scenes and scares on her shoulders."
Peter Sciretta @ Slash Film
6. "Madison does an impressive job carrying the film bringing a natural sympathy we need in a protagonist with a nice dose of obnoxiousness that makes her feel like a real kid." Hayden Maxwell @ The Playlist
7. "Bailee Madison delivers one of the most intense performances you’ll ever see from a child actress, single-handedly blowing away all her adult co-stars." Andrew Kasch @ DreadCentral.Com
8. "Meanwhile, Bailee Madison was the perfect image of a sweet innocent little Sally, and she really pulled off the role well especially as she learns to fight back later in the film." Corbin Bond @ Virginia Horror Society
9. "The part of Sally calls for an exceptional young actress, and Madison -- Drew Barrymore-cute, but nobody's angel -- not only aces the role's emotional demands but also brings an unexpectedly dark undertone to the character."
Peter Debruge @ Variety
10. "Bailee Madison as Sally has done an exceptional job of playing an emotionally distressed character who has to come to terms with her predicament; battle the monsters on her own. Just 10 years old, Bailee is natural and flawless in her role, qualities that would definitely catapult her to stardom pretty soon."
Rahila @ Ayushveda.Com
11. "Bailee Madison, undoubtedly Hollywood’s most promising young actress, yet again shows her dramatic range, and it’s impressive."
Amy Zanlungo @ Denver Cinephile Examiner
12. "The movie depends so much on the little girl, played by Bailee Madison with pluck, intelligence and a righteous temper. When children are endangered in horror movies, it's no fun if they just scream and run away. That's taking a cheap shot. Sally is brave and determined, and Madison is an effective young actress." Roger Ebert @ RogerEbert.Com
13. "Not only is Madison quite adorable, but the character herself snags all of your sympathy from the moment she steps on screen. She’s a seemingly sad kid being bounced between her divorced parents; how can you not feel for her? Rubbing it in even further is Madison herself as at just 9-years-old during production, she’s as talented as they come. As she’s the center of this story, without a stellar Sally, this supernatural tale wouldn’t have been believable in the least. However, Nixey found a young actress capable of selling it big time, making the experience unnervingly authentic. The adult characters suffer the slightest bit as Madison steals the show. Perri Nemiroff @ ShockYa.Com
14. "However, while the pair are touted as the film’s headliners, it’s 9-year-old actress Bailee Madison that offers the real standout performance among the film’s human cast members."
Rick Marshall @ Yahoo News
15. "Bailee Madison is the person to watch in this movie, meaning that whether you're scared or not-and if you're an adult who is familiar with these type of work you won't particularly be-you may be intrigued more by the interplay of the human folks than by the pitter-patter of the generic monsters."
Harvey Karten @ MovieWeb
16. "But this movie rests on Madison's small shoulders and she acquits herself amazingly well, giving a poised, believable performance as a little girl going from sullen to curious to terrified by what she encounters in that house. She and Holmes form a nice rapport, and I was amused to discover in the opening scenes that they were not playing mother and daughter, as they actually resemble one another and the trailers had me thinking what a good job they did finding a kid who we could buy as Holmes' daughter."
Eric Goldman @ IGN
17. "The young Bailee is asked to carry this tale and she is a marvel to watch."
Joe Belcastro @ Examiner.Com
18. "Madison does an impressive job carrying the film bringing a natural sympathy we need in a protagonist with a nice dose of obnoxiousness that makes her feel like a real kid."
James Rocchi @ The Playlist