If you know anything about horror movies, you know that there are A LOT of bad ones out there. Some of the titles that make their way into the local Redbox, such as “Zombie Strippers” and “Killer Klowns from Outer Space,” are absolutely baffling. It makes a person wonder what kind of people are out there producing these films. The reason this phenomenon exists is because horror films are, for the most part, the cheapest types of movies to produce, therefore more of them are made. On top of that, the “bad horror film” has basically become its own sub-genre. With movies like “Piranha 3D,” people flock to see these films purely for the novelty of it.
Recently, it seems that the horror market is being saturated with films that rely on blood and gore to gross the audience out rather than 
spending the time to create drama and suspense that leaves a sense of terror in the viewer far after the film is over. Luckily, with “The Woman in Black,” we have a back-to-the-basics haunted house story accomplished with class and poise.
“The Woman in Black” tells the story of a young lawyer, played by Daniel Radcliffe, who is sent to a village to gather and sort the affairs of a recently deceased local. While there, he quickly realizes he is not welcome when young children in the town begin to die one by one immediately following his first sighting of a mysterious woman. While the film does not reinvent the genre in any way, it does its job of scaring the ba-gee-bees out of you. The film is one that leaves much of the horror to the viewer’s
imagination.Relying on mysterious sounds and slight ominous movements, the suspense leaves time for the viewer to create every horrible scenario in their head before anything even happens. This approach can be difficult to accomplish, but when done well is much more terrifying than watching someone get slashed to pieces. That being said, “The Woman in Black” still utilizes the quick loud music cues and in-your-face scare tactics found in many horror films. One thing I personally am not a fan of in horror films is the use of CGI. It creates an instant separation from the film and reminds the audience that what they are watching is not real. While this is not a huge problem in the film, it is fairly obvious that many of the instances in which ghosts appear are accomplished through the use of CGI. When these effects are done practically, it is far scarier and creates an extra sense of realism for the audience. These flaws/choices in the film are miniscule, however.
Many are probably wondering about Radcliffe’s performance or as many know him, Harry Potter. Uncertain whether or not it would be possible to separate Radcliffe from his overpowering former alter ego, it was difficult to believe his character from the outset of the film. Radcliffe gives a mature performance and was able to break free of his boyhood chains. Radcliffe’s performance did seem a bit empty and hollow at times, with no real expression of emotion on his face the entire film. Even while being terrorized by ghosts trapped inside a haunted house, he never seemed scared.
The film is beautifully shot and incorporates stunning cinematography, especially in reference to the landscapes that the film was able to utilize. The quality of the film widens the scope of the movie, and it is definitely acceptable, undeserving of an immediate toss into the world of hastily made horrors. The opening scenes of the film harken back to a poetically chilling Stanley Kubrick-ian sequence, which is definitely not a bad thing. While the rest of the film does not necessarily retain this style, from the first scene the audience can see they are watching quality work.
While “The Woman in Black” will not go down in history, or be nominated for any Oscars, it will do what it was made to do: entertain and scare, and it does those things quite well. The film does fall victim to a flimsy plot and ancient scare tactics, but all in all if your looking for a quality horror film that focuses on suspense rather than shock value, you will not be disappointed with “The Woman in Black.”
