I was lucky as a kid; the dark never scared me. I was always the girl in slumber parties who would go downstairs to check out what that weird noise was. Darkness was never an issue for me until I watched a documentary about Dracula’s Castle at age 12. After that – I did NOT do well in the dark. Especially when it came time to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, I would cry and cry, until my mom would leave her bedroom and escort me. I was lucky. My mom was supportive, comforting, and snuggled my tears away. Our little boy in Nine Steps, however, was not so fortunate. 

Nine Steps is the story of a terrified little boy named Saul (Pablo Munoz) needing comfort from his unsupportive father (Jordi Ballester). Saul is too scared to walk to the bathroom in the dark. His father says the words all little boys love to be traumatized with “be a man,” “don’t be a chicken,” “your father thinks you’re a coward.” While poor, adorable Saul cries for help. All he wants is the light on, but Father refuses. He needs to stop being such a GIRL, am I right? Little does Father know that Saul’s fears may not be just the paranoias of a young boy; maybe his concerns are valid after all.

Nine Steps was upsetting but satisfying. Seeing such a horrible father treat his young boy in that way was hard for me to watch. He is the definition of toxic masculinity, and Jordi Ballester played it well. I was not too fond of that character. It struck a chord. Pablo Munoz plays the character of Saul with vulnerability, naked of adult burdens. His tears will break your heart and make you cheer when his name pops up in the credits. What an actor. Comparable to Jacob Tremblay. You could FEEL this sweet boy’s fear. I wish I could have reached through the screen and wipe his tears away.

This film reminds me of the “two-sentence horror stories” we used to share on the internet. The premise is simple and yet terrifying. When Father thinks one thing is happening and realizing it’s another. However, this reviewer cannot tell a lie. There was a twist, and as you know, I love a good twist, but it fell short. It took away from the horror that this film was building up. The tension, the breathing, the crying – it scared me (which, of course, is a good thing). But the ending fell flat. It’s not without fault, but worth it all the same. For cute little Pablo’s acting alone, this film is worth your time.

I give Nine Steps 8 out of 10 steps for great acting, solid story, and one excellent jump scare (It got me good!). I feel I want to end on this note: Saul didn’t need to “man up.” Father needed to. It takes a real man to love and comfort their child when they see them in pain.

8 out of 10 Stars Steps