The Horrors of the Uncertain

Rating: 6/10 (29 January 2020)

When it comes to horror movies nowadays, many fall into a deadly trap that has consumed and utterly destroyed the horror movie territory. In earlier years, horror was viewed as a distinctly frightening genre with the movies using slow-building tension and creepy athmosphere to make you scared of what's to come. Horror movie filmmakers have entered the Jumpscare territory in which this "true" horror is removed in favor of sudden noisen and views that negates all tension. Thankfully, despite its few shortcomings, the Woman In Black directed by James Watkins based on Susan Hill's 1983 novel of the same name manages to be a solid ghost story told with a bolt of efficiency.
Perhaps the single greatest element this movie offers is the lead performance from Daniel Radcliffe, an actor who was made forever famous in the Harry Potter movies. He needed to find a way to take off those glasses and move on and thankfully he delivers a bang-up performance that really made this movie a joy to watch. He is also accompanied with a pitch-perfect supporting performance by Ciaran Hinds who plays local landowner Sam Daily.
One thing i will also give this film is its disturbingly creepy setting that is litterally one of the creepiest horror movie settings we've ever seen. A house isolated on an island that is partially flooded and removed from land, surrounded by a graveyard and a killer bog. The house itself is a living example of a horror movie house, its large and nearly in ruin and has a dark history behind it.
When it comes to the scares themselves, this film is not short on fitting scares. Although there are a few cheap jumpscares here and there, this movie excellently builds up horror and suspense to make for a very unsettling and uncomfortable experience that really irches to the bone. The film genuinely feels like a horror movie.
The titular character herself is of course a solid antagonist, she is distinctly creepy, doesn't make many unnecessary appearances and has a great backstory to her that while meaningless gives some weight to her existence.
The music for this film is also creepy as all hell but freakin amazing, as it fits the tone of this film brilliantly.
When it comes to issues, this film isn't flawless. My biggest flaw is perhaps the final act of the film which seems completely pointless when you figure out the outcome of it. The story feels a bit uncertain on how to wrap up this film and inadvertently sets up a sequel in the end, which was released a couple of years later.
It does follow many horror movie cliches and isn't exactly the most orginal film in the world either.
But as a horror film, it delivers what it should deliver and is overall a solid experience.
Benjamin