Day 5: The Woman in Black
Via: Amazon Prime
Release Date - 2012
Synopsis: Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer, is recently widowed and grieving the loss of his wife when he is sent to a remote village to put a deceased eccentric's affairs in order. Soon after his arrival, it becomes clear that the villagers are hiding a terrible secret. Kipps discovers that his late client's house is haunted by the spirit of a woman who is trying to find someone and something she lost, and that no one -- not even the children -- is safe from her terrible wrath.
SPOILER ALERT - If you have not seen the movie do not read.
Woke up with a nasty migraine, alas I have to write this to keep my goal. Better late than never.
Ok, so let's get right into it. Harry Potter 9 - The Bitchy Witch! We see Harry as a father and apparently Ginevra Molly and their two other kids have died or gone missing, or somethin'. Harry has to visit a village haunted by a dementor and the only way to get rid of it is by swimming in mud.
Wait, um, I'm being told by my producers this is not Harry Potter 9.
My bad, sorry.
Nothing sets the tone to a film more than children leaping to their deaths.
Arthur Kipps (Harry Potter), is a lawyer who is dealing with financial issues as well as still grieving the loss of his wife. He has to prove to his boss at the firm that he is willing and capable of being successful. He takes a case that seems simple on paper; get all paperwork from a deceased woman's household regarding her will and other legal matters not finalized. He leaves town for a few days in order to get the paperwork himself. Arthur seems determined but also worried for his future and that of his son. A warm but quick sendoff captures the love Arthur has for his son. He arrives at his destination but is met with hostility from the villagers. His presence angers and frightens them. Arthur makes several attempts to get his work resolved but is quickly met with villagers trying to get rid of him. Arthur ignores their behavior and insists he be able to do his job. He bribes the man who is supposed to take him back to the station to take him to the house of the deceased woman. It's very island-like and access to the house is limited according to the tide.
He visits the house and encounters some odd activity. When finished he returns to the village only to find out there has been a a tragedy involving one of the village children. The villagers look at Arthur with heightened anger as he walks through town. He doesn't know how. Arthur befriends a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Daily. They seem to be the only people in town who are sympathetic to Arthur's work. They reveal to him the nature of the house and the woman who lived there. The woman had a son out of wedlock and was forced to give him up for adoption to his wealthy sister. The boy's new family was involved in a carriage accident that left the boy drowning to his death and never knowing his true mother. The mother kills herself and haunts the village to take her revenge on the families. If she can't have a family, no one can. The story is that if anyone disturbs her at her house, a child will die.
There are a lot of good moments throughout the film that create a deep and depressing atmosphere as well as some good jump scares. I felt the tension, I felt the sadness, the sympathy for Arthur, the desperation and his fear. Until...it got cheesy. Yet another film that seemed to be so good towards the beginning, but then turned predictable and unimaginative at the second half. As soon as I found out the woman's back story, I knew she would have to be reunited with her son to get the closure she craved, or at least Arthur would have to do something to please the spirit.
At the end of the film we do get to see an ending not fit for American audiences, which was good. However, it was done so fast and without real narrative that it just felt forced. Our protagonist and his son die in a train incident caused by the woman in black. Arthur is reunited with his deceased wife and they all live happily ever after even if it's the after life.
This leaves an open door to a bad sequel.
Ok, so let's get right into it. Harry Potter 9 - The Bitchy Witch! We see Harry as a father and apparently Ginevra Molly and their two other kids have died or gone missing, or somethin'. Harry has to visit a village haunted by a dementor and the only way to get rid of it is by swimming in mud.
Wait, um, I'm being told by my producers this is not Harry Potter 9.
My bad, sorry.
Nothing sets the tone to a film more than children leaping to their deaths.
Arthur Kipps (Harry Potter), is a lawyer who is dealing with financial issues as well as still grieving the loss of his wife. He has to prove to his boss at the firm that he is willing and capable of being successful. He takes a case that seems simple on paper; get all paperwork from a deceased woman's household regarding her will and other legal matters not finalized. He leaves town for a few days in order to get the paperwork himself. Arthur seems determined but also worried for his future and that of his son. A warm but quick sendoff captures the love Arthur has for his son. He arrives at his destination but is met with hostility from the villagers. His presence angers and frightens them. Arthur makes several attempts to get his work resolved but is quickly met with villagers trying to get rid of him. Arthur ignores their behavior and insists he be able to do his job. He bribes the man who is supposed to take him back to the station to take him to the house of the deceased woman. It's very island-like and access to the house is limited according to the tide.
He visits the house and encounters some odd activity. When finished he returns to the village only to find out there has been a a tragedy involving one of the village children. The villagers look at Arthur with heightened anger as he walks through town. He doesn't know how. Arthur befriends a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Daily. They seem to be the only people in town who are sympathetic to Arthur's work. They reveal to him the nature of the house and the woman who lived there. The woman had a son out of wedlock and was forced to give him up for adoption to his wealthy sister. The boy's new family was involved in a carriage accident that left the boy drowning to his death and never knowing his true mother. The mother kills herself and haunts the village to take her revenge on the families. If she can't have a family, no one can. The story is that if anyone disturbs her at her house, a child will die.
There are a lot of good moments throughout the film that create a deep and depressing atmosphere as well as some good jump scares. I felt the tension, I felt the sadness, the sympathy for Arthur, the desperation and his fear. Until...it got cheesy. Yet another film that seemed to be so good towards the beginning, but then turned predictable and unimaginative at the second half. As soon as I found out the woman's back story, I knew she would have to be reunited with her son to get the closure she craved, or at least Arthur would have to do something to please the spirit.
At the end of the film we do get to see an ending not fit for American audiences, which was good. However, it was done so fast and without real narrative that it just felt forced. Our protagonist and his son die in a train incident caused by the woman in black. Arthur is reunited with his deceased wife and they all live happily ever after even if it's the after life.
This leaves an open door to a bad sequel.
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