The Woman in a Bad Horror Flick.

Rating: 3/10 (5 May 2015)

The Woman in Black (2012): Dir: James Watkins / Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, Liz White, Jessica Raine: One could say that this hokey contraption is about evil resulted from the acts of another. In this case we have a mansion being terrorized by some spirit hag who apparently lost her son when he drown in a swamp. She then hung herself because being part of this film was too unbearable. Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame is brought in deal with the estate but he begins to see haunting visions and hear loud noises. The locals are all complete morons who act paranoid. Apparently every time this bitch in black is seen one of their children commits suicide. Perhaps it is their punishment for not taking on better scripts. Every year we are cursed with about a dozen haunted house spirit movies and most are about as stupid as this one. James Watkins directs and aided by the ominous atmosphere and special effects but little else elevates beyond a joke. To his credit, Radcliffe transcends well from the Potter films and proves capable of superior projects. The supporting roles are not so successful. Ciaran Hinds plays a local land owner who carts Radcliffe about but the role is hardly a highlight. Janet McTeer as Ciaran's wife is one crazy imbecile who carves nasty images in wood. The most embarrassing role goes to Liz White as this ominous woman in black. With her shrieking and whispers she comes off about as scary as Peppy Longstocking on crack. Technically the film is well made but that doesn't save this pompous attempt to scare us as the joke that it is. Score: 3 ½ / 10