Back in Black: The Woman in Black 2

by Matt Schaefer

What better way to wrap up the holiday season than reviewing a horror movie? And more specifically, a sequel to a horror movie I never thought would get a sequel. The Woman in Black was released in 2013 to good reviews and moderate success, mainly getting a lot of publicity for being Daniel Radcliffe’s first major non-Harry Potter role. It was a tight and atmospheric ghost story that had me shivering in my seat. So, did The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death live up to its predecessor or did it take a place next to the many other bland and routine horror sequels?

In war torn London, two school teachers take a group of orphaned children out of the city to keep them from harm. A doctor brings them to the countryside town of Crythin Gifford in the abandoned Drablow house. However, things take a dark turn when one of the school teachers, played by Phoebe Fox, is plagued by nightmares of her tragic past and one of the children, played by Oaklee Pendergast, seems to gain a connection with the house’s previous owner. Has “she” returned for another reign of terror? (Spoiler alert: yes.)

Once again, horror champions Hammer Entertainment deliver a gothic ghost story, shot with spooky forestry and one seriously creepy haunted house. The atmosphere is thick and drenched with gloom, ever prevalent in the dark subject matter. Suspense is a key factor of the film, which seldom goes for gore.

However, the film is too reliant on jump-scares and always left me feeling cheated when I was startled by something harmless. They even throw in the same stupid crow gag from the first film! And, that’s the biggest problem I have with this movie: it feels stale. Yes, the movie is suspenseful and even scary, but it follows a lot of the same routine its predecessor did, banking on the hope that you’ll find it scary because you found the first one scary. Add in a plot that has quite a few glaring holes (that also has the audacity to add the horror trope of a kid with a blank stare and a bowl haircut) and an ending “chair-jumper” that’s so insultingly tacked on, and you have all the makings of a bland horror sequel.

So, if you’re looking for a good horror movie of this generation to treat yourself to, I’d recommend sticking with the first film. If you have seen the first one, I’d say check this one out for curiosity’s sake. However, on its own right, I honestly can’t recommend The Woman in Black 2. There’s just better ghost stories to be told.