---
title: "The Woman in Black"
year: 2012
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-woman-in-black"
fi1m_id: "the-woman-in-black"
imdb_id: "tt1596365"
tmdb_id: 65086
wikidata_id: "Q841274"
fi1m_score: 65
critics_score: 62
critics_reviews: 19
published: "2026-10-05T12:50:04.675457+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T12:50:05.273156+00:00"
region: "AZ"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Woman in Black (2012)

Directed by James Watkins · 1h 35m · Drama, Horror, Thriller

## Identity

The Woman in Black

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-woman-in-black
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-woman-in-black
- **IMDb ID:** tt1596365
- **TMDB ID:** 65086
- **Wikidata ID:** Q841274
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596365/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/65086, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q841274

**Fi1m score: 65** · Critics 62 from 19 reviews

*In a sentence:* Every toy in the nursery is watching, and the sound mix wants to make sure you noticed

> James Watkins’s Hammer ghost story is handsomely built, properly gloomy and frightening in short bursts, most of them loud. Daniel Radcliffe is a decent, slightly young widower, and the ending goes softer than the house deserves.

## Synopsis

Edwardian England. Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a young London solicitor, has not recovered from the death of his wife Stella (Sophie Stuckey) in childbirth, and his employer Mr Bentley (Roger Allam) tells him plainly that this is his last chance. The job is to travel to a remote coastal village and sort through the papers of a dead client at Eel Marsh House, which stands alone on the marsh and is cut off from the mainland whenever the tide comes in. The villagers want him gone. The local solicitor Mr Jerome (Tim McMullan) hurries him towards the next train, and only the landowner Mr Daily (Ciarán Hinds) and his wife (Janet McTeer) will give him a bed. At the house, Kipps glimpses a woman in black among the graves, and in the village a child dies.

## Review

The set-up is as old as the genre and none the worse for it. A solicitor in mourning, Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), is sent out of London by his employer Mr Bentley (Roger Allam) to settle a dead woman’s affairs at a house on a marsh, and the house does not want him there. James Watkins directs from Jane Goldman’s screenplay of Susan Hill’s novel, and the film arrives under the Hammer name, which tells you the kind of evening it has in mind. It is a good evening of that kind, and it would have been a better one if it trusted silence as much as it trusts a bang.

The house is the reason to go. Kave Quinn designs Eel Marsh House as a place where nobody has thrown anything away: dust sheets over the furniture, a nursery stacked with wind-up monkeys and dolls with china faces, a rocking chair that has no business moving. Tim Maurice-Jones shoots the marsh in flat grey-green and the interiors by candle and oil lamp, so that Kipps carries his own small circle of light through rooms we can see are far larger than it. Keith Madden puts Radcliffe in black from hat to boots, so that on the causeway he is already dressed as a ghost. The whole production looks like money spent on the right things.

The scares are another matter. Watkins has two kinds. The first is the slow one: a figure at the edge of the frame, a reflection that should not be in the window, a face in the upstairs glass that Kipps sees and we see a half-second earlier. The second is the loud one, and Jon Harris cuts to it the same way every time, a long quiet hold and then a crash of Marco Beltrami’s strings and something moving fast. We jumped four times and resented three of them, because the house had already frightened us and the noise only told us the film did not believe it had.

The fourth time we did not resent at all. It comes in the nursery, late in the first act, and involves nothing more than a toy, a chair and Radcliffe refusing to turn round. Watkins holds the shot until we were genuinely unsure whether we wanted him to look, and Beltrami drops to a music-box figure so faint we leaned in. That is the film it could have been throughout. It is unsettling in the proper, patient way, and it is the sequence we were still thinking about on the way home.

Radcliffe does what the part needs. He is grave, watchful and convincingly tired, and he has the sense to do most of his acting with his eyes and his breathing rather than his voice. He is also plainly too young to have buried a wife and nearly lost a career, and the film never quite finds a way round that. Ciarán Hinds gives Mr Daily a bluff, practical decency that the village otherwise lacks, and Janet McTeer, as his wife, gets the most alarming dinner scene in the film and plays it without a trace of camp. Liz White’s Jennet Humfrye is used sparingly, which is right, and is the more frightening for it.

Goldman’s screenplay is efficient where it is following Hill and uncertain where it is not. The villagers’ hostility is established in the first ten minutes and then restated every time Kipps leaves the house, so that the middle of the film has the rhythm of a man being told to go home. The reasons for the haunting arrive in a bundle of letters and are read out, which is tidy and not very dramatic. And the ending departs from the novel in a direction we will not describe, except to say that it reaches for consolation, and a ghost story this bleak has not earned any.

Against the best British ghost films, the ones that trust a corridor and a draught, this is a notch below: too keen to be liked, too quick to make a noise. Against most of what passes for a haunted house film now, it is a model of taste. It runs 95 minutes and carries a 12A, which is about right for the jolts and a little generous for the dread. See it in a dark room with the volume down a touch. The house will still get you; the strings will have to work harder.

*Fi1m score 65, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics take The Woman in Black for what it is: an old-fashioned British ghost story that mostly works. The reviews lean positive, though the middle is crowded with three-star verdicts. Praise gathers around the atmosphere: the isolated manor, the marshland, and production design that keeps the house oppressive and the ghost glimpsed only sparingly. James Watkins is credited with building tension patiently rather than through gore, and Daniel Radcliffe is generally thought to carry the film capably as a haunted man.

The reservations cluster on the ending, which several critics call too neat or sentimental, and which NME finds muddled enough to spoil what came before. Others object to the jump scares and loud noises, and to a story that thins as it goes. The spread is wide at the edges: The Guardian’s Philip French misses the novella’s narration and finds the film more conventional, Variety’s Leslie Felperin alone finds Radcliffe short of charisma, and Vulture’s David Edelstein dismisses it as plodding and hollow.

## Straight answers

**Is The Woman in Black worth watching?**

*The Woman in Black* is worth watching if a handsome, gloomy Hammer ghost story with loud scares is your idea of an evening, and we scored it 65. The house is the reason to go, and one nursery sequence is properly unsettling, but the film reaches for a crash of strings too often and the ending goes softer than the story deserves.

**How long is The Woman in Black, and what is it rated?**

*The Woman in Black* runs 1h 35m. It is a drama and horror film.

**Where can I watch The Woman in Black in Azerbaijan?**

*The Woman in Black* is not on any streaming or rental service in Azerbaijan at the moment. It is available in 19 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is The Woman in Black, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Woman in Black* carries a 12A in the UK, which is about right for its jump scares and a little generous for its dread. There is no gore to speak of; the fear comes from figures at the edge of the frame, a nursery full of watching toys and sudden loud bangs. Too much for young children, fine for most teenagers, and jumpy viewers should keep the volume down a touch.

**Is The Woman in Black based on a true story or a book?**

*The Woman in Black* is based on Susan Hill's novel, not on a true story. Jane Goldman's screenplay follows the book closely for most of its length and is at its best when it does, but the ending departs from Hill in a direction we will not describe. You need not have read the novel; readers who have should expect a softer close than they remember.

**What should I watch after The Woman in Black?**

After *The Woman in Black*, try [*The Orphanage*](https://film.one/film/the-orphanage) (2007, Fi1m 81): Spanish grief and a haunted house, with the patience this one sometimes lacks. Then [*The Others*](https://film.one/film/the-others) (2001, Fi1m 80): Nicole Kidman keeps the curtains drawn; another house that knows more than its tenant.

### Reviews we read (19)

- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (85/100, inferred): McCarthy finds it an enjoyable, effective revival of old-fashioned British horror, with Daniel Radcliffe carrying the film capably. He praises the atmospheric locations and production design, and calls the ending perfect. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/woman-black-film-review-286905/)
- **Empire**, Olly Richards (78/100, inferred): Richards finds the film a highly effective, unsettling ghost story, despite a weaker, overly neat ending. He especially praises James Watkins’ sustained tension and the sparing glimpses of the ghost. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/woman-black-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Sheri Linden, Special to the Los Angeles Times (75/100, inferred): Linden finds the film an effective, old-fashioned Gothic ghost story whose straightforwardness ultimately strengthens it. She especially praises the isolated manor’s production design and the film’s mounting, morbid unease. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-feb-03-la-et-woman-in-black-20120203-story.html)
- **Screen Daily**, Mark Adams (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as Mark Adams’s review, but its verdict is unavailable in the accessible text. No specific praise or criticism can be confirmed from the paywall shell. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-woman-in-black/5036903.article)
- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (3/5): Jones calls it a classy but cliché-ridden ghost story, giving it a positive overall verdict. He praises Daniel Radcliffe’s performance and the film’s efficient adaptation of the source novel. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-nhts3w/the-woman-in-black/)
- **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (3/5): Huddleston gives the film a three-star assessment. The standfirst singles out Daniel Radcliffe’s challenge in moving beyond his youthful image. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-woman-in-black-1)
- **Total Film**, Matt Glasby (3/5): Glasby finds the film an enjoyably efficient, eerie fright flick, despite a cheesy ending. He praises its tangible atmosphere and Radcliffe’s terrific performance as a haunted man. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-woman-in-black-review/)
- **Variety**, Leslie Felperin (60/100, inferred): Felperin finds the film an effective, if familiar, haunted-house horror that loses energy in its second half. She praises its creepy production design and atmosphere, while criticizing Daniel Radcliffe’s lack of charisma and the sentimental ending. [Read](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/the-woman-in-black-1117946920/)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (C): Phipps finds the film scary but slight, with its story losing coherence as it goes. He praises the oppressive atmosphere and unsettling production design, while criticizing the cheap jump scares and weak final act. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-woman-in-black-1798171374)
- **Evening Standard** (55/100, inferred): The critic finds the film works reasonably well but lacks real punch. The familiar scares and serviceable screenplay are singled out as weaknesses. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-woman-in-black-review-7446808.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (2/4): Gonzalez finds the film’s atmospheric setting effective but says its story and character psychology are weak. He praises the chilly marshland imagery while criticizing the reliance on clichés and jolting scares. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-woman-in-black/)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (45/100, inferred): French finds the adaptation efficient and handsomely designed, but more conventional than Susan Hill’s novella. He particularly misses the original’s dated narration and the way it draws readers into the protagonist’s memory of terror. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/feb/12/woman-in-black-review-philip-french)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (10/100, inferred): Edelstein dismisses the film as a plodding, emotionally hollow ghost story. He praises its expressionist interiors and Janet McTeer’s performance, but finds its scares largely ineffective. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2012/02/movie-review-the-woman-in-black-daniel-radcliffe.html)
- **Eye for Film**, Martin Gray (85/100, inferred): Gray recommends the film as an effective, frightening adaptation, while noting that it has a few minor flaws. He praises its brooding atmosphere, striking production design, and Radcliffe’s intelligent performance. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-woman-in-black-film-review-by-martin-gray)
- **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (4/5): Lambie finds the film an old-fashioned but highly effective ghost story. He especially praises James Watkins’s energetic direction and the lighting, cinematography, and editing that build scares through anticipation rather than gore. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-woman-in-black-review-2/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ben Rawson-Jones (4/5): The review finds the film a largely successful, suspenseful gothic horror, though its story lacks incident and its pace sags. It singles out Daniel Radcliffe’s convincing performance and the eerie atmosphere created by the direction, cinematography, and score. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a364312/the-woman-in-black-review/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Ben Mortimer (4/5): The critic calls it an exceptionally effective and compelling horror film, despite a few awkward dialogue and story changes. Its sustained tension and understated scares are especially praised. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-woman-in-black-review/)
- **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an effective old-fashioned ghost story that gets more right than wrong. The atmospheric production design and Radcliffe’s performance stand out, though repeated scares and sudden loud noises are criticized. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/woman-black-delivers-scares-abundance-35087/)
- **NME**, Owen Nicholls (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film effective at building suspense but ultimately let down by a muddled, disastrous ending. They praise James Watkins’s foreboding atmosphere and the unsettling haunted-house production design. [Read](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/the-woman-in-black-film-review-779168)

## Details

- **Director:** James Watkins
- **Director:** James Watkins
- **Screenplay:** Jane Goldman
- **Novel:** Susan Hill
- **Cinematography:** Tim Maurice-Jones
- **Editor:** Jon Harris
- **Music:** Marco Beltrami
- **Production design:** Kave Quinn
- **Costume design:** Keith Madden
- **Producer:** Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes, Brian Oliver
- **Cast:** Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps; Ciarán Hinds as Mr. Daily; Janet McTeer as Mrs. Daily; Liz White as Jennet Humfrye; Tim McMullan as Mr. Jerome; Jessica Raine as Nanny; Shaun Dooley as Fisher; Mary Stockley as Mrs. Fisher
- **Runtime:** 1h 35m
- **First release (Canada):** 3 February 2012
- **Genres:** Drama, Horror, Thriller
- **Budget:** $32 million
- **Box office:** $129 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2UZwaEUeE0

## Where to watch in Azerbaijan

Not streaming, renting or buying in Azerbaijan at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AT, AU, BE, CA, CH, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IT, NL, NO, NZ, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Innocents* (1961): The governess, the children and the house; the model this film is working from
- *The Orphanage* (2007), Fi1m 81: Spanish grief and a haunted house, with the patience this one sometimes lacks — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-orphanage.md)
- *Kwaidan* (1964): Four Japanese ghost stories, painted rather than shot, and slow in the best way
- *Whistle and I'll Come to You* (1968): Forty minutes of M. R. James, a beach and a bedsheet; still frightening
- *The Others* (2001), Fi1m 80: Nicole Kidman keeps the curtains drawn; another house that knows more than its tenant — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-others.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-woman-in-black