Rated PG-13, 93 minutes
"The Woman in Black" is noteworthy because it is Daniel Radcliffe's (always known as Harry Potter) first non-Potter film. It should also be noteworthy because it's an above-average, well-cast and often creepy horror thriller that provides some decent scares that don't rely completely on loads of blood. Radcliffe is young lawyer and widower Arthur Kripps, who travels to a remote village to do some legal work on the estate of a recently deceased woman. In the process, he learns the town is haunted by The Woman in Black, a scorned woman who was unable to save her young son from drowning. Now she exacts revenge on the townspeople by killing many of the children in town. Kripps must learn to put the secrets to rest permanently before his own young son arrives to visit and also become a casualty of the vengeful ghost. "The Woman in Black" is a dour but tense thriller that provides some nice scares once the slow-moving story gets moving at a quicker pace in the second act. With a pasty, disheveled appearance, Radcliffe is well-cast in his first non-Potter role, though he doesn't do much to make you forget Potter. Ciaran Hinds (one of Radcliffe's "Potter" co-stars), lends able support, as does Oscar nominee Janet McTeer as a loopy wife who channels her dead young son. Based on Susan Hill's 1983 gothic novel of the same name, "The Woman in Black," after a slow-as-molasses first act, provides some entertaining chills once it gets going, with a mildly unexpected ending. Worth a look, though you'll wonder what Harry Potter would've done in this situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment