Dark and creepy ghost story

Rating: 9/10 (12 February 2012)

The Woman In Black (2012) is a remake of the 1989 TV movie of the same name and based on the 1983 book by Susan Hill. This remake is actually better than the original, a rare feat. From my experience, usually remakes of horror movies are nowhere near as good as the original. This is an exception.
The things that this movie have going for it are the dark, chilling, spooky atmosphere and the genuine creepiness of the haunted house from the Victorian era. You'll see classic components of a haunted house - cobwebs, paintings hanging on the walls, lit candles, a rocking chair rocking by itself, creepy looking dolls, music box melodies, and of course ghosts. Throw in the thunderstorm and the movie feels complete. This is definitely one of the creepiest and best ghost story movies I've ever seen. There are a lot of sudden scares that might you jump out of your seat. There is an occasional dose of comic relief sprinkled throughout the movie. The musical score by Marco Beltrami is decent.
This movie was my introduction to Daniel Radcliffe (I've never seen the Harry Potter movies). He does a commendable job acting. This movie is a triumphant return for Hammer Horror. Who can forget the classic Hammer horror movies from the 1950s, '60s, and '70s? Overall, this is a good Victorian ghost story that I highly recommend.