Friday, February 10, 2012

The Woman in Black a movie report


I am no expert when it comes to making reviews and so, I would be providing insights as an ordinary movie goer. But I would try to make a review that is descent enough to read by others.

Well, when I first heard about Daniel Radcliffe’s new movie, which I think I accidentally saw in one US News Program, I was rather excited. I saw some snippets during features and then watched the trailer as it went online. I believe that it (trailer) hasn’t been shown in local tv? Or perhaps I've missed it.

I was ecstatic to find out that screening has finally opened in the local cinemas. But I was unable to watch during the opening day.
Since it is Friday and it’s still school and work day, I was certain that there would be few movie goers in the cinema today. And I was right, by the time that the show started we were only 20 or less inside the movie house. Yeah, I did count. How lame right? Had to wait for the movie to start for 45 minutes since we got there early. We actually finished the hotdogs and popcorn way, way before the movie started rolling.
The Woman in Black is a typical ghost story. But despite how seemingly cliché the theme is there'd still be that level of enjoyment considering how satisfactory the quality level of the movie is. I highly doubt that ghost stories would really grow old and too used for us to get fed up on it.

The usual concoction you'd expect; suspicious acting people, a creepy looking old house in the middle of a secluded piece of land, a graveyard, apparitions of the dead and an eerie hunk of black blob who turns out to be a woman in black whose face becomes all wonky up close.

The pacing of the story felt a little loopy at times. The woman in black didn't serve her purpose all too well. Aside from a few good scares, the effect became so-so after a while since she was exposed way too much. You could actually pinpoint the time when she'd actually appear in the frame. Hell, the water coming out of the faucet water contraption thingy was freakier.

The suspense . . . It built up at a pace that would leave you hanging onto the edge of your seat and then it would either end with a resounding ‘BOO’ moment or a halt and then build the tension back up again like rollercoaster ride. It utilized this eerie like setting to constitute fear instead of the usual blood and gore of hacked off corpses. I find this sort of attack more refined and effective.

The backdraft for the whole movie, particularly the marshlands were well set and gave off that exact aura of something bad looming just around the curb.  Good cinematography and musical scores.

The end was somewhat anticipatory, since sudden twists at the end has become a trend with horror/suspense/thriller genres nowadays. But might be questionable to some? I mean why bother doing all that when you'd see the same fate in the end anyway? But when you look back at everything, you’d realize that is an appropriate ending anyway, albeit bittersweet. 

Acting wise, I believe that Daniel Radcliffe is quarter way to fully making a name independent from being the boy known to have played the role of Harry Potter. I was curious on how he’d fair playing the role. But I do believe that he did well, better than I had originally expected him to. Some minor setbacks that I think are barely noticeable anyway especially if you are too engrossed in the film?: The flatness of the tone of his voice when he was delivering some lines and the deadness behind the eyes (although he was supposed to be liked that, moroose) during some scary bits.   He, however did convincingly enough in portraying the role of a man who is broken by the death of his wife. Surprisingly enough, he, as a dad, looked convincing enough and not just a far fetched notion that is too impossible to comprehend.

Though truth be told, I hadn't completely let go of his portrayal as Harry while watching the movie. I did reminisce at some point about his wand wielding escapades. Whereas Harry wields a wand and the gryffindor sword, in this movie he wielded a candle stick and an axe.

This movie is not a big leap from the Harry Potter franchise though and a film of an entirely different genre would measure his real caliber as an actor. Not much difference when he had to fight off an evil dark lord, from a black woman who seeks vengeance. Antagonists that are not too far apart from the different sides of the spectrum.

All in all, The Woman in Black is a must watch especially to those people who are looking for some thrill that would somehow make you jump and scream. From start to finish, it held me strong.


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