For someone like myself, who thoroughly enjoys horror flicks, I have high expectations for such movies. I am usually afraid to spend my money, however, on scary movies in theaters. This is not because I find them too frightening, but because I almost always end up laughing more than screaming.

Hollywood horror flicks can tend to feature more nudity, sex and laughable attempts at scares then horror. Typically I prefer old-school horror films, with more chills than gore. Also, something with an interesting storyline that keeps you guessing as the movie goes on. Luckily, ‘The Woman in Black’ was just that.

*WARNING: Spoilers*

The film features a young father whose wife has recently passed away. Holding onto his job by a thread he must venture out to a small English village and sort through the legal paperwork of a recently passed away resident. From there a series of connected events begin to unfold, and a mystery about the town is revealed.

It stars Daniel Radcliffe in his first film since the Harry Potter series. I must admit at first it was slightly odd seeing him in such a different role; during the beginning I kept expecting to see a glimpse of his scar behind his shaggy head of hair. However, he does a good job of convincing you of his character, and after the first 5 minutes I was able to forget about Harry.

The other actors played their parts well, and I didn’t find anything to be too over the top or cheesy. Interestingly enough, IMDB states that Radcliffe actually casted his godson in the role of his son, so that the two would have more of an emotional connection on screen.

The way they shot the film also added to the character of the movie, and they used a more washed-out coloring when filming, steering clear of bright colors. It also features a large array of toy props, these are used to add to the creepy element, and IMDB also mentions that they were borrowed from a collector and are indeed original 19th century toys for children. These just make it clear that the film makers went to some lengths in order to produce a realistic setting, and visually intriguing film.

Yes, the movie does contain some typical ‘ghost story’ elements, and it has received bad reviews for that. However, they are placed at points in the movie in a way that keeps you guessing and intrigued in the developing plotline. Overall, ‘The Woman in Black’ was well worth the cost of the theater, and came with plenty of scares. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror movies.

The article The Woman in Black: A True Horror appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.