Based on the classic ghost story, The Woman In Black tells the tale of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House.
Working alone in the old mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic and tortured secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances. When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, Sophie Stuckey, Mischa Handley
Directed by: James Watkins
Runtime: 95 minutes
Studio: Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment
Amazon USAmazon UKIMDBReview: The Woman in Black
Daniel Radcliffe leaves Hogwarts behind in this eerie horror of a vengeful ghost causing mayhem in a small rural village. Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is a lawyer who has struggled to get his life back on track after his wife died giving birth to their son, Joseph. Arthur is sent to the isolated Eel Marsh House to check through the necessary documents to arrange a sale. His career is on the line and he has no choice but to take the assignment. Heading out to the rural village, Arthur finds the locals are somewhat wary of him apart from a rich landowner, Samuel Daily (Ciaran Hinds). After meeting with the local solicitor, Arthur is informed he has had a wasted trip and should return to London. Concerned about his job, Arthur ignores the request and heads for the isolated Eel Marsh House where the road leading to it is submerged beneath the surrounding water at high tide.
Working at the house, Arthur begins to hear strange noises and more than once spots a mysterious woman in black on the premises. Any attempts to find her always end in disappointment though. When children in the village begin to mysteriously die, Arthur chooses to continue his work and finish it as soon as he can. Among the many documents at the house are the keys to the past. Arthur is soon forced into uncovering the many secrets of Eel Marsh House which may have some bearing on the woman in black and why she wishes the children of the local village such harm.
The Woman in Black is a good horror film with a decent turn from Radcliffe in the lead who confidently sheds his Harry Potter character. The story is good, if a little predictable, but the conclusion could have been done a lot better. If you like ghosts and haunted houses then this one has some merit.
Verdict: 3/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
About the Author:
I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.
David M. Brown – who has written 745 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.
