The paramount reason as to why The Woman in the Black made for such a chilling and compelling cinematic endeavour back in 2012, is because of the strength in the narrative. Based on the popular 1983 Susan Hill novel and the long-established stage production that followed – it was tried, tested and triumphant. However this sequel is a relatively new concept, taken from an imitative, somewhat poorly received novel based on the previous movie by Martyn Waites – and it shows, as Angel of Death falls short thanks to its contrived banality, too concerned with matching the exploits of the preceding endeavour than being unique and inventive in its own right.
Set 40 years after the last production concluded, we’re now amidst the horrors of the Second World War, watching on as a group of children are evacuated from the hazardous city, to an idyllic, safer environment – or so they think. Teachers Jean Hogg (Helen McCrory) and Eve Parkins (Phoebe Fox) have their work cut out, particularly with student Edward (Oaklee Pednergast) still traumatised following the death of his parents, as they settle in at Eel Marsh House – awakening the dark, ominous presence that lurks within. To help combat the dark forces that exist, soldier Harry Burnstow (Jeremy Irvine) lends a hand.
Tom Harper – whose impressive back catalogue in television, boasting the likes of Peaky Blinders, Misfits and This is England ’86 – sadly struggles to make a mark on the big screen with this particular endeavour, with the horror implemented so transparent and tedious. The scares and jumps follow the same formula time and time again – with a loud, screechy noise and a flashing close-up on the eponymous antagonist’s face. It may be chilling at first but loses its impact after a while. The one harrowing aspect that does work, however, is to have children at the forefront, as their blissful naivety makes for a successful horror device, especially given Edward is mute and hasn’t spoken since his parents demise, adding to the elusive ambiance, and ramping up the intensity.
Fox is the star of the show however, so if there is anything to take away from this picture, it’s that a promising career in cinema certainly beckons for the talented young actress, as she certainly lives up to the prestigious tag of being a ‘hammer horror heroine’ (good luck saying that a few times over). On the contrary, Irvine is too impassive and, not for the first time in his career, sadly proves to be the weak link. Nonetheless, a memorable visual experience goes some way in making up for that, with a remarkable location, and a winding road that can only be driven when the tide is out, adding to this sense of isolation that exists, while the grievous ambiance is enhanced by the morbidity of the war that makes up the film’s backdrop, contextualising the picture and informing the narrative accordingly. Taking supernatural elements and playing them against real-life horrors successfully.
Yet The Woman in Black: Angel of Death is an underwhelming sequel, concerning itself far too predominantly with the story, and thus losing sight of the horror. That shouldn’t be a bad thing, in this genre filmmakers can often be accused of dealing too primarily with the latter, which is also of great detriment. However sadly in this case, the story at hand is simply not strong nor engaging enough, making for an ultimately unfulfilling experience.
