The Woman In Black review

Good ghost stories have been few and far between in recent years. But where 'The Awakening' didn't quite hold together, Daniel Radcliffe's post-Potter spook-a-thon 'The Woman In Black' is eerily satisfying until the bitter end.

[See also:2012 Oscar nominations in full]
[See also:Actor's audacious self-promotion]
[See also:Win a trip to an L.A. premiere]

The hype…
Daniel Radcliffe continues his post-Potter career with a foray into horror. This adaptation of the terrifying stage play has plenty of promise: if it can dodge the usual collection of clichés.

The story…
Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) has struggled to cope since the death of his beloved wife in childbirth. Now, in order to keep supporting his young son (Misha Handley) with his work as a lawyer he must complete an assignment in a small Yorkshire town.

[See also: Biggest Oscar shocks 2012]

The job involves sorting paperwork for a derelict home deep in the moors so that it might be sold. Of course, there's a reason it's been lingering untouched for so long.

When he arrives, Arthur is warned off of the property by a local solicitor but, unwilling to return to London without completing his task, he visits the isolated mansion and begins his work. Spooky happenings disturb his progress, and soon he encounters the ghostly visage of the eponymous woman in black - and it has horrific consequences.

Seeking help from wealthy local Mr. Daily (Ciarán Hinds), Arthur sets out to resolve matters - but in doing so he may be endangering not just himself and the townsfolk, but his own son.

The breakdown…
Adaptations from stage to screen are always tricky, but more so with horror. In a theatre, all manner of tricks can be played on your audience, but on screen there is less versatility. Nonetheless, director James Watkins goes full steam ahead in creating a ghostly chiller - and it's a resounding success.

The premise is ripe for adaptation. A spooky piece of folklore is classic haunted house fare, and this one has plenty to play with. Crazy villagers, belligerent apparitions and murky pasts weave their way into a well-written narrative, while the atmosphere is slathered on in spades.

Dark and misty is the order of the day, with the mood established early on by the introduction of mysterious deaths and personal tragedy. As we travel northwards with Arthur the darkness and the mist closes in: leaving plenty of space from which apparitions can emerge.

Once the ghost story kicks off for real, it's a well-balanced combination of conventional scares (a cat doesn't jump from a cupboard, but it may as well have) and cleverly fashioned ghoulish occurrences. The element of doubt isn't dwelled upon too much, mystery isn't this film's strong point, but that means all the focus is on exactly what the evil force is and how (or rather whether) it can be stopped.

Radcliffe manages his role with relative ease, and it's no surprise since the last few Potter films have given him ample opportunity to look serious and scared. The only problem is perhaps that he's still a little too young for the role, and we have a niggling concern that he was too eager to play 'mature' roles in super-quick time.

Elsewhere the supporting cast play their parts perfectly, from the terrified village folk who never overcook their conventional roles to Ciarán Hinds' supportive local who accompanies Arthur on his quest to stop the spooky happenings.

There are a few predictable twists and turns, and some easily-seen scares, but on the whole this is a well-executed ghost story that even manages a few surprises along the way.

The verdict…
It's nothing revolutionary, but 'Woman In Black' is a welcome return to the ghost stories of old and provides the fear factor aplenty.

Rating: 3.5/5

'Woman In Black'  is due to be released in the UK on 10 February 2012. Certificate: 12A.