Let me start off by saying that before I walked into the theater, I was drained and ready to pass out in my chair, and I wasn’t expecting much. As Woman in Black 2 came to a finish, I felt like I just drank ten cups of coffee. Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death is definitely an unexpected scare and I hadn’t seen the first one, so I didn’t know what to expect.

After I watched the trailer, I knew that it would have jump scares and loud sound effects (as many horror films do), I just didn’t expect this many.

Unlike other popular horror films, like Paranormal Activity 3, the jump scares emphasized the film’s plot and amped up the audience for the both climax and resolution.

If anything, Woman in Black 2 was anything but a horror film, and didn’t rise to the scare level you might expect from such a film. Is the film creepy? Sure, but I most definitely will not lose any sleep over it. The film kept me awake and alert, and got me every time with the jump scares.

PROS

THE SETTING:

To emphasize the dark gloomy feeling of the orphanage, this building is covered with overgrown vines and an overcast sky. I personally loved the feeling that it made me feel from the beginning and after I left the theater. Disturbed.

THE VILLAIN:

We see the Woman in Black for the first time, looking over Eve Parkin’s shoulder as she reads a message in the glass. It’s only for a brief second, but her appearance keeps you freaked out. Her black veil and black wardrobe convey that creepy feeling you’ve been feeling for the past ten minutes since the movie started. Another thing I love about this villain is that she has a back story. She’s not just a made up Boogeyman with a myth or legend; she’s an actual person who lost her son, which leads her to kill children in the orphanage.

PLOT:

I enjoyed the plot of the movie; many horror films forget about the plot and focus on the jump scares and unnecessary screaming every five seconds. Woman in Black 2 was not the case. You fall in love with both the lead and supporting actors. Edward reels us into the story with the loss of his parents, and the Woman in Black using him as a puppet.

CONS

THEME:

After some reflection on the movie, it makes you think. It’s about orphans who lost their parents by the catastrophe of World War Two. You have these children who don’t have anyone to turn to, and are forced to move into a creepy house inhabited by a vengeful woman.

I was not expecting the film to fill me with as much grief as it did. The characters’ backgrounds hook you to feel as if you know them personally, so with each death comes heartbreak. With that being said, Woman in black 2 is more of a depressing movie than a horror film.

RELEVENCY OF CHARACTERS:

I get that the extra children are there just to be extra. However, I didn’t understand the relevancy of the blind man in the abandoned house. I believe he is a survivor of the Woman In Black, but I can’t be sure. I wish they ‘d gone into depth about his seemingly interesting character.