HOLLYWOOD—Horror has been non-existent at the box-office for a few weeks, but audiences might be surprised by the thrills presented in the sequel “The Woman in Black: Angel of Death.” The first flick starred “Harry Potter” alum Daniel Radcliffe, but he is MIA in this sequel.
In fact, the film lacks major star power. Some might consider that risky for a movie, but it works and I’ll tell you why. The focus is placed entirely on the narrative. With any great horror film weaving a tale of suspense is no easy task, but with characters that the audience connects to, makes it even more thrilling to watch.
Cheap thrills tend to be the death of most horror flicks because the audience comes to expect it, but this thriller knows how to craft its scares. The suspenseful moments are carefully built, with the end result delivering on the anticipation that the audience expects.
Phoebe Fox stars as Eve Parkins a woman who has a bit of a sordid past. She gave up her child, and finds herself haunted by a supernatural presence when she, her schoolchildren and the school’s headmistress, Jean (Helen McCrory) venture to the town of Crythin Gifford. It is here, that strange things happen and the lives of children are always at stake, for a mysterious reason, which soon comes to light as the narrative reaches its climax.
We’ve seen plenty of films where children are at the forefront of an evil presence, but “The Woman in Black: Angel of Death” seems to take that turmoil to a heightened level, as Edward (Oaklee Pendergast) has a distinct connection to the mysterious presence. Its one thing to see the innocence of a child lost, it’s another thing to see a force of evil determined to cause harm to children at any cost.
Director Tom Harper does a nice job and elevating those gotcha moments that catch the audience by surprise, particularly the ending. Let’s just say a few jolts will go down the spine!
While this is no original masterpiece, the “The Woman in Black: Angel of Death” does its job well of delivering scares to the audience with a narrative that is interesting enough to hold your attention from start to finish.
