Retro: The Woman In Black

THE WOMAN IN BLACK

Radcliffe works his magic in a decent old-fashioned ghost story.

2012: CBS Films

2012, Horror, Rated PG-13

Distributed by CBS Films

          The Woman in Black tries to set itself apart from your standard PG-13 horror flick but turns out to be run-of-the-mill. It's chock-full of cheap scares, but also teases with haunting visuals and a dark, almost alluring atmosphere. It wants to be an old-fashioned ghost story but ends up just like all the rest; hollow and somewhat silly.

          The tone and atmosphere of the film are very intriguing. Daniel Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a widow with a son, who is sent to uncover a town's dark secret around the turn of the twentieth century. The film is drenched in somber silence as the film opens, music only piercing the quiet in hushed tones. Radcliffe barely speaks, saddened still by his wife's passing. The dark colors of the film accompany the atmosphere wonderfully. The cinematography is not stunning, but rightfully atuned to the style of the film. This is a horror movie that does not feel like it was made in 2011. It feels very old, used, and worn-out, like many of its characters. Radcliffe is sent to investigate the death of a woman in her creepy mansion surrounded by icey, treeless fields. It's a haunting location, one that suits the film completely.

          One problem I have with this film is one that it shares with many films of a similar structure. The people in the town Kipps is sent to investigate act so obviously like they are keeping a secret. They really lay it on thick to an unrealistic extent. People run from Kipps, hide their children, and try to drive him away as soon as he arrives. It just seems like a bad way to keep a secret and distracted me from really getting into the story.

          Radcliffe does an excellent job in this post-Harry Potter role. He does look rather young for the part but still, he brings a quiet concentration to his character that is perfect. He plays a sad individual who is trying to save his job, family, and sanity by unraveling a mystery involving a child-murdering ghost. I liked how this film was more a meditation on death, rather than ghosts and the supernatural. There are plenty of supernatural elements, but the most interesting scenes merely discuss death and its implications.

          What makes this film not nearly as good as it should be is its cheap PG-13 scares. They're a-dime-a-dozen in films like this. They usually involve a second of loud music and a creepy image that makes the viewer jump. There are plenty of these in The Woman in Black and they eventually feel pointless. The best sequences don't involve the jumpy, scary supernatural stuff. The climax especially has no supernatural elements yet it is suspenseful and exciting regardless.

          All in all, I would not suggest this movie unless you are fond of PG-13 rated horror. Radcliff does a nice job, but the plot feels recycled and merely there to fill the gaps between cheap scares.

          Side note: There are long stretches of silence from Radcliffe in this film. Many scenes are just him physically reacting to creepy discoveries. He really is just a face and a name to attach to a little no-budget horror film.