The Woman in Black

Yesterday I went to see The Woman in Black together with my sister-in-law.

A lawyer, Arthur Kipps (played by Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his embodiment of Harry Potter), travels to a small remote town where he needs to sort out the paperwork of the recently deceased owner of a mansion on a marsh. Before he goes off, he says goodbye to his four year old son, who reminds him of the fact that his dad never smiles. As a matter of fact, Arthur is pretty depressed because his wife died giving birth to his son.

Once in the village, most of the village folk shun him and he isn’t welcome anywhere. He is placed in the attic of the village’s one and only inn, but is kicked out again the next day. The only people who are slightly welcoming to Arthur are Mr. and Mrs. Daily. He’s invited to stay with them for the remainder of his stay in the village.

From the get-go, Eel Marsh House is a scary place. It makes those sounds that only old and deserted houses can make. There are cobwebs, there is draft, there are old porcelain dolls and other curious knick-knacks that make sounds and move at the most unsuspected moments. When Arthur sees a woman in black standing in the garden of Eel Marsh House at his first visit, strange things begin to happen to the children living in the village.

The storyline of this movie is incredibly thin, but it does what it promises: it scares you. Right at the very start of the movie, my arms burst into goose bumps because of the scene that was playing, and that was not the only time that happened. The suspense is a killing factor in this film, directed by the novice James Watkins. This is mostly due to the background music by Marco Beltrami (Hurt Locker, Scream) and the great cinematography by Tim Maurice-Jones (Snatch; Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels).

I’m sorry to say that Daniel Radcliffe is totally unbelievable as the father of a four year old. Maybe the gap was too wide between the Boy Wizard and this particular role. His pasty face reminded me of the way Frodo looked when he was stung by the giant spider Shelob and wrapped into its web.

Although the ending could have been better (I just thought it was cliché), you could go see it if you’re looking for a scary movie night.