Hammer back doing what they do best!

Rating: 8/10 (8 March 2012)

As a kid growing up in the UK the Independent TV sector was split into regions, with HTV being the regional channel where I lived. Each region had a good deal of control over their own programming, and Monday nights were always film nights in the HTV region. As these were relatively late night showings (around 10:30pm) these films were almost always horror films, which meant either classic Universal, American International Pictures or, of course, Hammer Horrors. It was the Hammer films that I enjoyed most - Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Ingrid Pitt etc etc, so it was sad to see the studio go into such decline. But now with this wonderfully atmospheric haunted house story (plus the remake of Let The Right One In, and one other whose title has escaped me for the moment) the studio - or at least the company that has taken over the legendary name - is back to doing what it does best, scaring the life out of film goers the world over!! This film has all the hallmarks of a classic Hammer film, the old village full of unwelcoming locals, the local pub with an even more unwelcoming feel ("We're packed to the rafters all week" - even if Kipps is the only guest to be seen!), the bleak landscape, and, of course, the wonderful old house (usually on top a hill, but in this case on an island that gets cut-off from the mainland by the incoming tide twice a day).
Into this arrives the aforementioned Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe in his first big post Harry Potter role), looking into the estate of the late owner of the old house. As he looks into the papers etc he finds more than he bargained for, and then the "fun" really begins as the ghost of the title character starts to weave her evil presence over the proceedings.
As the mystery over the Lady In Black begins to unravel the atmosphere builds and the shocks come fast - although not so fast that you don't have time to catch your breath between screams! Daniel Radcliffe handles his role very well (and shows a lot of promise for a good post Harry career), and the supporting cast - full of good old British character actors like Ciaran Hinds, all play their parts to the full.
The ending has been described as "Hollywood", but personally I felt it fitted in well and showed a certain amount of redemption (impossible to fully explain without giving the ending away, which I do not want to do here).
This is not your blood and guts type horror, rather one based on character, story line and atmosphere, and is well worth a visit if you like being scared out of your seat! Whilst this may not be the Hammer of Bray Studios etc, it is good to see the name back emblazoned on the big screen again, and doing what Hammer do best... BOO!