The Woman in Black(2012)

Being an avid fan of James Watkins' Eden Lake, it's only natural that I would be thrilled for his next film, The Woman in Black.  While it is a completely different picture, Watkins proves his versatility and that he can make a memorable movie of any genre.  It is is destined to be a horror favorite for the years to come and since the old fashioned style haunted house films aren't too common anymore, I'd venture to say that this is 2012's best of the horror genre.

Anyone who knows me knows that I despise jump scares.  They are cheap and add virtually nothing to the actual feeling of fear.  That being said, there are a few jump scares in this film but they aren't really used as a vehicle of fear.  It seems as though they are used to make the audience think the tension is over only to bring something much more frightening into play.  This movie relies on atmosphere and slow building suspense.

Anyways, let's get to the story.  Arthur Kipps(Daniel Radcliffe) is a lawyer sent to a remote village to take care of a deceased woman's estate.  After seeing things that he can't explain and experiencing the deaths of local children, he soon realizes that something awful is happening.  The conclusion is both terrifying and wonderful.

As you can see, I thought this film was wonderful and it really was a joy to see the old Hammer style brought back to life.  Daniel Radcliffe proves that there is life after Harry Potter and that he is a fine actor in general.  The script is beautiful and the direction is flawless.  Give it a go, you'll be happy you did.

9/10 stars.