The Woman In Black: Angel Of Death – Film Review
Director: Tom Harper
Starring: Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, Phoebe Fox and Oaklee Pendergast
Release Date: Jan 1
40 years after the events of The Woman in Black, Eve (Phoebe Fox) a school teacher, escapes the London Blitz with a group of school-children. Seeking shelter at Eel Marsh House, the group begin to witness the dangers of the haunted house in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death.
Sequels are no stranger to the horror genre, especially pointless sequels, and yet they do garner audience. It’s a testament to what horror fans look for in a film, perhaps more than any other genre. In essence, the content.
Before I come off all cynical about the horror genre, may I say that this isn’t a bad thing. The previous film, The Woman in Black may seem like a more sophisticated and subtly dramatic thriller. It actually amounts to a well functioning ghost story, with some jump scares and a collection of creepy images. Its sequel is a little more of the same and for that, it works fine.
It’s hard to imagine the film will favour well in cinemas. It feels like its place is in home video (or streaming or whatever). Overall, it fairs well and is (almost) as well balanced as its predecessor.
It’s cheaper, simply-lit aesthetic actually provides, in many scenes, an eerier tone than the previous film’s more attentive and somewhat glamourous lighting. Some scenes of very low level light prove effectively off-putting and creepy.
While the presence of the film’s menacing spectre has a more subtle presence this time around, that subtler sense is somewhat broken by the film’s use of jump scares. Something it provides abundantly, much like the film that came before it. One clear disadvantage of this is the rushed story elements, which tend to be thrown at the audience with a few short bursts of exposition.
Rushed story elements aside, one thing the film does provide is a scenario with more potential for tension. The element of the Woman in Black’s danger around children is heightened, with a group of children actually being present inside the haunted house this time around. That said, this doesn’t add a whole lot more than the first film in the end.
The cast hold together well, although the characters are quite typical cut-out characters of your average London/England based World War II flick. The lead, Phoebe Fox does hold the film together nicely, although the direction in the performances overall is quite reserved.
The film is such a routinely played out sequel that it’s hard to go into that much detail. At least, not without just outright saying what happens. Although the film is quite boiler plate, it does end on a pretty good climax, more visually than anything, but still engaging enough.
In the end, The Woman in Black: Angel of Death is a pretty standard sequel. About as basic, but perhaps not quite as sharp, as the previous film. With some genuinely eerie moments and a solid pace it works out well. Perhaps a bit dumb and simple, it’s a very basic but working gothic horror.
Score: 3/5
Written by Sèamus Hanly
