The New York Times by Ben Kenigsberg
Whether it’s the scene-setting blast of Donovan (“Zodiac”), the low-height Steadicam work (“The Shining”), the red-suffused hallways (David Lynch) or “Night of the Living Dead” playing at a drive-in, the movie takes from the best.
I have never so vehemently disagreed with critics about a film. I absolutely love this movie. I'll admit, I cannot view this film impartially. If you grew up in 90's or early 2000's, you probably remember reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. You might have come across it at the back of your school library, innocuously tucked next to magic tree house. When you read it, it felt like you were getting away with something, like it wasn't quite appropriate for a child's eyes. I remember not sleeping well for weeks after my sister showed my some of the pictures. I had high expectations going into this film, and this film only succeeded them. It is hilarious, while still being scary, and has some of the most likable horror movie characters ever. If you read Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark as a kid, and remember being absolutely terrified by the drawings, this is a must see movie!
As I grew up reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, I was very disappointed with this film. However, my disappointment didn't stem from the monster designs and cinematography, but rather from the unimpressive protagonists and the plot. I felt like the monster designs were impressive, and exactly what I imagined the characters that kept me up at night as a child would look like on the big screen. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the performances of the protagonists or the plot. The decision to combine the individual stories into one universe wasn't a bad one, but it was definitely poorly executed. The protagonists weren't well-developed and very forgettable. Indeed, I have to say the entire movie was rather forgettable; the day after I watched the movie, I struggled to remember what I had watched the day before.