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United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden · 2012
Rated PG-13 · 1h 35m
Director James Watkins
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, Liz White
Genre Drama, Horror, Thriller
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The story follows a young lawyer, Arthur Kipps, who is ordered to travel to a remote village and sort out a recently deceased client’s papers. As he works alone in the client’s isolated house, Kipps begins to uncover tragic secrets, his unease growing when he glimpses a mysterious woman dressed only in black.
In the end, The Woman in Black displays a higher regard for the material makeup of gruesome-looking Victorian dolls than it does for the psychological turmoil of its characters, making one wish that some of the money it budgeted for cranes and fog machines had been offered to a script doctor.
Arizona Republic by Bill Goodykoontz
Subtlety may not be Watkins' strong suit, but he knows how to frame a scene for maximum tension and dread.
Without Radcliffe at the center looking scared out of his wits, The Woman In Black would seem even slighter than it already does.
Helmer James Watkins ("Eden Lake") and scripter Jane Goldman judiciously combine moves from the classic scare-'em-ups with new tricks from recent J-horror pictures to retell Susan Hill's oft-adapted Victorian gothic pastiche.
The New York Times by Manohla Dargis
Less gore is more here, and what a relief. The Woman in Black isn't especially scary, but it keeps you on edge, and without the usual vivisectionist imagery.
Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten
The film is wonderfully atmospheric and full of little frights, but its overall impact is only glancing.
Chicago Tribune by Michael Phillips
The film, a handsome nerve-jangler co-produced under the storied Hammer horror banner, amps up the scares without turning them into something completely stupid. Success!
Miami Herald by Rene Rodriguez
In his first starring role post-Harry Potter, Radcliffe must carry the movie with little dialogue and practically nothing to play other than fear, constantly reacting to creepy toys that suddenly spring to life and reflections in windows that shriek unexpectedly at him.
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
Not since young Hutter arrived at Orlok's castle in "Nosferatu" has a journey to a dreaded house been more fearsome than the one in The Woman in Black.
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