Predictable & slightly disappointing

Rating: 7/10 (22 February 2012)

I'll try and keep this a brief review.
To support my summary of 'predictable and slightly disappointing'; I thought it was predictable because it was advertised as a 'jumper'. By this I mean a film that uses suspense and load noises and imagery to scare the viewer or make them jump. This effect leaves no post-traumatic stress which only a few horrors and thrillers really cause these days. For example, the Paranormal Activity films, personally left some anxiety afterwards because of the realism in the film but also the way in which the events take place in bedrooms and the home in which we are expected to go to sleep in after watching them (with difficulty).
The sudden flashing imagery and screaming to cause jumps in the film were effective; most likely of which for myself, was the woman screaming in the reflection on the window whilst the protagonist is looking down on the graveyard. However this is a little predictable for enabling fear or a jump in the audience and resembles a 'ring girl online game' or 'zombie girl' in which the user is scared spontaneously whilst viewing or interacting with a video by a girl or woman screaming suddenly appearing on the scream with use of audio to back up the suspense and scare.
Whilst it sort of celebrates Daniel Radcliffe's diversity as an actor, and I don't doubt the quality and commitment he gave to the role, for an hour and fifteen minute thriller I was disappointed. I appreciated the narrative and storyline (which ironically some people didn't) but the execution of the premeditated reaction in which everyone expected from this film did not deliver.
JWL.