‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Review: PG-13 Horror at Its Finest

André Øvredal’s adaptation of ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ is a horror movie that loves horror movies. It does this not by dropping in loads of references (although it does front-load a bit by showing its protagonist’s love of the genre), but simply by showing the power of good horror stories that are well told. Øvredal skillfully walks the line between scarring and spooking his audience, giving them the tension and disturbing imagery that a PG-13 rating will allow while also providing the giddy thrills we enjoy from scary movies. Older audience members may demand something more disturbing, but younger viewers will find a terrific gateway to the horror genre.