The Woman in Black

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The Woman in Black

PG-13

2012

1h 35m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

66%

Tomatometer

197 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Arthur Kipps, 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.

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Critics Consensus

Traditional to a fault, The Woman in Black foregoes gore for chills -- although it may not provide enough of them for viewers attuned to more modern, high-stakes horror.

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

06/28/2025

4/5

There isn’t a bump in the night that this gripping chiller from the newly re-formed Hammer Productions doesn’t utilize.

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Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

12/27/2023

The set-up is chillingly effective, suffused with a nagging, damp disquiet from the marshes nearby.

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Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

02/26/2012

The moody, beautifully composed production raises it above the norm.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

09/24/2023

4/5

An entirely spooky and exciting throwback to some of the best haunted house movies of yesteryear.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/01/2023

2/4

The filmmakers rely far too much on common ghost story mechanics to propel the plot.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/21/2022

3.5/5

With the exception of a few cheap, loud, volume burst jump scenes, the movie manufactures its terror through slick camera work, dark and dreary locations, and a genuinely spooky ambience.

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Carson C

@Weetziebat3 1d

Points off only due to the ending which I didn't care for. I'm sure there are people who would enjoy the ending but it wasn't it for me. Daniel Radcliffe is a widowed lawyer who has to manage the papers for a house where a woman has just died. Only one man (when paid an exorbitant amount of money) will agree to take him there. Locally, the house is known as being haunted. It's in this house he starts to see the vision of "the woman in black." It's early 1900s. Daniel's character's son was using crayons and I looked up if they were commonly available at that time. Fun fact: they were. Good story but sometimes predictable scares.

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Anthony C

@Anthony1872 Feb 14

This movie, and The Shining--the two movies that are better than the book.

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Elliott L.

@GreenBeans Dec 14

This is what you want for a scary movie. Beautiful setting, fantastic acting: honestly shoutout to Harry Potter. Script is great, chills are chilly, and the story is FINALLY scary. Great all around- front start to finish- horror flick. Enjoy, and do not watch alone. Shout out to spider (the dog): #IYKYK

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Randy R

@RT98513576 Dec 1

Good storyline and beautiful setting,but I think the jump scares are unnecessary and the ending was just plain stupid,otherwise it had the makings of a good horror movie. (Disappointing)

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Matt M

@RT66698255 Nov 1

For those who don't like being relentlessly creeped out this film may not be for you, but as a suspense driven gothic horror it works quite well. Touching most of the classic corner stones of the genera. Plus in retrospect it's interesting enough to talk about which is always the mark of a good film. Some may find it a bit predictable and slow but I for one was OK with that as I knew what I was letting myself in for.

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Matthew G

@RT86619677 Nov 1

This film came up on BBC1 on on Friday night. To be honest I’d never heard of it but I’d not watched a new (to me) horror genre film for a long time. This is excellent. Gripping storyline, great cast, fantastically acted and above all a very plausible storyline. Even the idea of the location of Eel Marsh House adds to the menace. Thoroughly recommended.

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James Watkins

Director

Daniel Radcliffe

Arthur Kipps

Misha Handley

Joseph Kipps

Roger Allam

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Ciarán Hinds

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Janet McTeer

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Synopsis

Arthur Kipps, 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.

Director: James Watkins
Producer: Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes, Brian Oliver
Screenwriter: Susan Hill, Jane Goldman
Distributor: CBS Films
Production Co: Exclusive Media, Alliance, Talisman Films, Film Väst, UK Film Council, Filmgate Films, Hammer Films, CBS Films, Cross Creek Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Violence/Disturbing Images|Thematic Material)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 3, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 3, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $54.3M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital