The Mycenaean

As a Harry Potter fanatic, I make it a priority to follow Daniel Radcliff’s every move. When I heard that he was starring in a movie other than Harry Potter, I decided that I must attend. So despite the scary rumors about the horror film, I dragged myself and some friends to a night time showing.

I’m going to be blunt. The Woman in Black was the scariest film that I have ever seen. Several times throughout the film, I considered standing up and leaving to save myself from a heart attack. I was an innocent Potter-lover far out of her element watching this chilling film.

Daniel Radcliffe plays Arthur, a windowed lawyer close to losing his job. To save his career, he must visit a remote village and solve the affairs of a recently deceased, psychotic woman.

The ghostly woman died with a vengeance and spends the entire movie seeking what she lost. She wears a gaudy black gown and hat, and is frequently spotted around town. To reveal an important plot line: every time the woman in black is spotted, an innocent child commits a gruesome suicide.

The film recounts Arthur’s attempts to calm the ghost before his own son becomes a victim of her rage.

Many components work together to make the movie a frightening one. For example, there are many long scenes taking place in the dark, haunted house. These scenes feature many classic horror images, such as rattling doorknobs, creaking rocking chairs and creepy old dolls.

As Arthur tiptoed around the creaking house, I found my body tensing, waiting for something to pop out from a closet, or appear in a window. Something did pop out. Every time. Every time that the film began to build suspense, that suspense was greeted with a terrifying image. Whether it be the blood stained face of a child, or the shrieking mouth of the woman in black, the movie was abundant in regards to scream inducing moments.

I found myself desperate for a break from the fast paced horror, but it seemed to never stop. Once the scary portion of the film was launched, there was no break until the credits. I felt trapped on a Woman in Black roller coaster, unable to escape from the adrenaline.

Another factor adding to the film’s terrifying intensity is the use of dying children. While the death of an adult is not a pleasant scene, it hardly compares to the death of an innocent child. Seeing these lovely children jump from windows, swallow lye, catch themselves on fire and walk in front of trains was extremely difficult to watch.

In my opinion, The Woman in Black is a horror film to top all horror films. Fans who expect Daniel Radcliffe in his usual, magical surroundings will be disappointed, as the movie strays far from the light atmosphere of Hogwarts. However,  all those who find thrill in a pounding heart and a sweating brow will love to follow Radcliffe through this incredibly haunted mansion. So enjoy, but prepare to sleep with the lights on.