Afraid of the Dark (1992)

People are voting emotionally.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This psychological thriller limps along, but has enough substance to hold your interest. Lucas Hardy(Ben Keyworth)is a 12 year old boy that has disintegrating eyesight and must come to grips with the fact he may become totally blind like his mother Miriam(Fanny Ardant). Lucas overhears his policeman father(James Fox)as he brings home the news of a blind woman having her face slashed by an attacker during broad daylight. There is more than usual concern since the woman comes to the London eye clinic for the blind, where Miriam works. Since Lucas is on school vacation, he decides to open his own search for the blade wielding attacker, who has victimized another woman from the clinic. Have patience for you're sometimes watching through the failing eyes of a paranoid boy's concern for his mother. The cast includes: Paul McGann, Robert Stephens, Susan Wooldridge and most impressive Clare Holman.

the problem for me with this movie was the texture. I thought, "oh OK Foucault, the panopticon" because of the way the first big section was all about spying on the part of this boy who seemed destined to see everything no matter where he looked, but then of course that's his imaginary narrative, and so it makes sense that the blind people don't act like real blind people, that the world seems completely fake, and yet. . . in order for all this to play, the blindness shouldn't be so formalized - the constant pulling apart and putting back together of the damn white canes, everyone staring ahead without sunglasses, looking for all the world like people playing at being blind who haven't really got it down. It's impossible to suspend ye old disbelief in this over stylized movie. Including casting of the mother who was such a giant compared to everyone else in the cast and OK she was from another country in reality she seems another species. Some apple carts were needed or something. I couldn't get over the unflagging "wrong look" of the whole dang thing. I don't care for symbolism served up with such an artificial touch. I stopped halfway through to read about it here and some peoples' idea of the people being "blind" in some way is nice but watching the movie... I couldn't get through it. Funny to read reviews I guess something happens to the dog? Something bad! Poor Tobey!

Psychological horror stories often rely on clichéd images and stories to evoke terror from the audience. A notable exception is the film "Afraid of the Dark" which stars Ben Keyworth as an 11 year old boy who struggles with morbid fears of going blind, as well as fears of a stalker in the streets of London who preys on the blind. This moody thriller has a convoluted story and abstract pace that make it difficult to decipher, but the movie is worth the effort due to it's subtle horror that is mesmerizing! This one ferments in the psyche long after viewing. Keyworth is joined by a strong cast including Fanny Ardent, and James Fox, but Keyworth is the true strength of the film. His intense demeanor is riveting!

i am still not sure what the hell this movie is about. i guess the boy was afraid of becoming blind and began imagining all sorts of strange things. this does not explain why he wanted to kill his new baby brother , however , or the unrelenting boredom found within this film. while watching this movie you will wish you were blind so you did not have to see this experiment in futility. skip this steaming pile and opt for anything else at the video store ..... anything else.