I was on edge throughout the film, and the woman in black was a constant threat in many of the shots, standing at a window or in a mirror, the fear of the unknown was a define element of the film. The cinematography of the film must be praised, and the range of shots was well chosen in increasing the tension, especially through the use of the rather creepy children's toys.
However the film could have been so much better without the inclusion of Daniel Radcliffe as the lead. He was just as wooden as in his previous film roles and a sense of vulnerability and fear did not seem present at times, he also appeared too young to portray the character of Arthur Kipps, and seemed barely a child himself at times.
As you probably know the Film is based on a book of the same name by Susan Hill, the film is completely different from the source material changing the story rather significantly, I thought the interpretation was rather good, and the new story worked well on the screen especially with the absence of a lot of dialogue.
After the film there was a live Q and A with the director James Watkins, and I asked whether Susan Hill(the author of the novel) had any input in the filming process and what she thought of the film, he said that she didn't have any input in the filming process but she did like the finished product, but i wonder whether if she had had more input if she would have changed anything and whether Daniel Radcliffe was her ideal Arthur Kipps.
Tonic Art Love Xx
