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    Film Review: The Woman in Black

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    After spending the better part of a decade playing “the boy who lived” Daniel Radcliffe is finally done playing Harry Potter. I’ve wondered for a long time what kind of career Radcliffe will have after Potter; he seems quite infatuated with Broadway and there’s been talk of him stepping behind the camera a-la Ron Howard. In his first film since completing the Harry Potter series Radcliffe is now playing the protagonist in The Woman in Black which is loosely based on the 1983 novel of the same name and has been adapted numerous times for both the stage and TV.

    Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a lawyer and widower whose wife died during the birth of their son Joseph. Kipps is ordered to leave London and travel to a small village where Alice Drablow, a wealthy recluse has recently passed away and is tasked with the arduous job of settling her considerable affairs. Once he completes this job his son Joseph and nanny will join him for sometime alone in the country. Upon arriving in the dreary town Arthur feels quite unwelcome as the residents seem very eager for him to settle her affairs and quickly leave. He hears unsettling stories about the former home of Alice Drablow and is warned to stay away from the residence. Arthur dismisses the warnings and is taken to the secluded home and begins sorting through the mountains of paperwork. Soon it becomes clear that the warnings about the property were not unfounded as he is introduced to ‘the woman in black.’

    For a horror film the acting is simply superb with Daniel Radcliffe and fellow Harry Potter (and the Deathly Hallows Part 2) alum Ciarán Hinds providing a good acting foundation for the film. There are a few moments where Potter fans might chuckle because Radcliffe says something that sounds very Harry Potter’ish but overall he gives a good performance with the material he’s given. The same can be said for Ciarán Hinds who is a very seasoned actor and in a lot of ways helps Radcliffe’s performance by providing him with a worthy actor to match wits with. The Woman in Black is also a better looking film than most other horror films that are released today. Director James Watkins and cinematographer Tim Maurice-Jones create a wonderfully creepy atmosphere filled with eerie shadows and inky blacks. While most films, especially horror pictures, are full of music video style editing The Woman in Black is much more subdued with the camera almost becoming a static entity.

    My biggest complaint with The Woman in Black is that it’s filled with cheap scares. The atmosphere is effectively creepy on its own and the actual scares might have been scary but every single ‘jump in your seat’ moment is brought about by a loud, jarring noise. The scares are telegraphed in with no subtly, there’s just a generic horror movie formula… film the scene with almost no noise then suddenly make a hideously loud noise and the audience will shit their pants. It’s really disappointing because The Woman in Black is so well shot and for the lack of a better word “classy” looking and then the whole film is cheapened by the proverbial “air horn” going off in the theater. Another issue working against the film is that the script feels incomplete; several relationships, namely between Kipps and local inn worker, are built up but then suddenly abandoned. There also seems to be little or no basis for why Kipps makes certain decisions on dealing with the ‘woman in black’ other than it aides in wrapping up the story more quickly. With a runtime of 95 minutes the first three-fourths of The Woman in Black moves at a methodical pace and then is suddenly slammed into overdrive and feels like another film entirely.

    The Woman in Black
    Year: 2012
    Rating: PG-13
    Runtime: 1 HR, 35 MIN
    Director: James Watkins
    Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer
    Film Rating: 2 out of 5

    To say The Woman in Black is a mixed bag is an understatement. There are aspects of the film that work very well but there are numerous things that fall flat for me. The acting, the general look of the film, and direction all work towards its advantage and elevate the film above most other modern horror films. Unfortunately, The Woman in Black is hindered by a script that feels unfinished and makes the protagonist look like he’s guessing for answers. Worst of all, every single scare is preceded by a deafening noise that robs an otherwise sophisticated horror film of any sophistication whatsoever. If you’re a Harry Potter fan or a big Daniel Radcliffe supporter go ahead and check it out just keep your expectations in check. The Woman in Black isn’t a bad film, in a lot of ways its better than most films in its genre but it does fall short of me ever wanting to see it again.

    Check out the Movies Hate You Too review of The Grey.

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    Nicholas Herum
    Nicholas Herumhttp://www.movieshateyoutoo.com
    Nicholas Herum is a featured contributor who reviews films for Columbus Underground. You can find more of his work at his own website, Movies Hate You Too.
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