Post-Potter-Performance = Decent

Rating: 8/10 (27 August 2013)

In his first outing after finishing his role as Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe had a few challenges facing him. To move past his days of wizardry Radcliffe really had to prove himself as a formidable actor. The Woman In Black is the first attempt to move on from the extended series.
Young lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), is trying to earn a living for himself and his son after the death of his wife. Sent to a remote village in order to sort paperwork belonging to the recently deceased Mrs. Drablow, Kipps is greeted by the unfriendly and superstitious villagers. He soon meets Daily (Ciaran Hinds), a wealthier man who is also mourning the loss of a loved one. Kipps needs to get to the deserted house within the marshland. The only problem is that none of the villagers want him to go there, because the lawyer runs the risk of seeing the shadowy figure of the woman in black.
Filled with suspense and mystery, this movie introduces Radcliffe to a new genre. The scenery in the film sets the mood well. Emotion flows through the environment around the actors which sets the movie up for story-oriented horror as opposed to the typical startle and shock driven horror that has been seen in recent years. There are clean cuts and transitions as opposed to the "found footage" style which has become all too common. Adding to the mood of the movie, the music is well done although not overly memorable.
The acting was done fairly well. Kipps is not the average horror movie protagonist. He does not rush into the danger head first. The film focuses more on the building of suspense. Radcliffe spends much of his time on camera searching the house and chasing strange noises. There are some scenes in which Radcliffe seems to lack natural emotion, but overall it is a good post-Potter performance. Some of the supporting characters seem unable to walk and talk at the same time. Choosing between either motion or line delivery makes the scenes drag on occasionally, and it also tends to distract from the dialogue.
The Woman In Black offers a suspenseful mystery, and an ending which leads to mixed emotions. Definitely worth watching for those interested in old story-driven suspense. Those looking for the cheap shock thrills will be disappointed with most of the movie, but for those who appreciate the subtlety of the emotion it is worth it.