The Woman In Black lacks one thing...

Rating: 4/10 (27 February 2012)

I feel like I am the only person to feel this film was just okay. I so desperately wanted to like it but I couldn't get over one thing.
First of all, let me say how beautiful I think the film was technically, the visuals were a lot of the time stunning (despite children killing themselves left, right and centre). However, I struggled to get past the fact that it all seems done before, not that I mind this greatly, no but it really did hinder the film from being truly original.
When it came to the fact that 'The Woman in Black' was killing children, that's where I have a problem with this film. Whenever I watch a horror film, one of my favourite things is that visceral feel you get, feeling the character's feelings, being scared at the right points. Very early on in the film, it felt, we were told and realised that Daniel Radcliffe's character was effectively in no danger at all and that this 'ghost' was not after him at all. This to me, made it less scary, yes I did jump when the music became deafening and a woman's scream howled out to the audience but is that what really makes a good horror film?
Overall, I did not dislike this film but I fail to acknowledge the hype that has been built up around it. Daniel Radcliffe's performance is decent but nothing extraordinary, well done him though for continuing on in acting and not trying to be known just as Harry Potter, although that is already the case. The film offers many jumpy moments, which is to be expected but my favourite moment was the beginning, which to me, was the creepiest of them all.