The Woman in Black (2012)
Brief review: After his critically acclaimed 2008 debut feature, "Eden Lake", UK director James Watkins brings us "The Woman in Black" - a period ghost story, based on Susan Hill's novel of the same name. While the film doesn't brings anything new to the table story-wise, it still works on many levels, thanks to its well-written script and competent execution. The movie manages to be chilling without being graphic and gory, and maintains its constant creepiness with some spooky images, shuddering sound effects and a couple of very effective jump scares. James Watkins definitely shows a tremendous improvement as a director in this movie. While his direction in "Eden Lake" was solid, yet rather generic, here, he displays more creativity, some great skills behind the camera and a truly astounding visual style, that makes "The Woman in Black" one of the most tasteful, stylish and visually atmospheric horror movies of the past few years, if not the decade. The ominous setting alone is enough to give you the chills, the murky, muted cinematography matches the dark, gothic tone of the film, plus, it features tons of dense gray fog, forbidding marshes, sinister antique toys, and some really creepy interiors. Daniel Radcliffe proves everyone who thinks he is a one-note actor wrong, delivering a believable and convincing central performance, and the supporting cast is strong, with Ciarán Hinds being the standout.
Overall summary: Creepy, atmospherically grim and stylishly-shot, if hardly groundbreaking, "The Woman in Black" is an old-fashioned ghost story that, luckily, avoids gore as instead relies on its eerie tone, spooky imagery and solid chills to successfully frighten its audience.
