Review of "The Woman in Black"

For Daniel Radcliffe, his role as a lawyer and father of a 4 year old boy is a landmark role. Aside from some respectable onstage roles, Radcliffe has been known only as Harry. Although entertaining and creepy when narrowly escaping cliché, The Woman in Black watches more like proof of Radcliffe's eagerness to shred those trendy round frames for more cinematic endeavors.

The Woman in Black
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer
Directed by James Watkins
My Opinion: Eh.

The film follows Arthur Kipps as he travels to a remote village of Cryphin Gifford in order to examine the documentation of an old mansion haunted by the spirit of its late owner. Personally, I really love possessed children crushing their doll's faces as they walk to a window to jump to their deaths, but this isn't exactly an original opening for a film. In general, the director relies far too heavily on cut-aways of decaying toys and expressionless dolls. Watching The Woman in Black is kind of like going through a haunted house with a predictable yet satisfying ending. I honestly don't have much to say because, what with its generic, scrambled storyline and cookie-cutter Victorian era-dialogue, the film itself doesn't leave much of an impression.

I will say that I am happy with the way it ended. I was excitedly clawing at my seat for at least the final five minutes of the film. Yet it was too little and way too late. With the final moments as the anxiety-inducing climax, the film as a whole is slightly above mediocre, but I don't regret having watched it. I do hope that Radcliffe's next role is more challenging and invigorating than this easy go-to film.