Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Woman in Black’

Written by Scott Edwards 

Mysteries surrounding the disappearance of children can be one of the scariest things for parents to ever listen to. Wondering what it would feel like if this happened to their own children can cause a parent to go insane and force them to keep their child away from harm, at all costs. The thought of losing a child from going missing or worse, dying, should never have to pass through a parent’s mind, for our children are our future and will outlive us all.

Arthur Kipps is being beat up at work once again. With the recent loss of his wife, he is struggling to keep up with his job. Being given an ultimatum by his employer, Arthur has to make sure that his next assignment goes off without a hitch or he will be fired. Worrying about himself and more importantly about his son, Arthur takes on his next assignment as if it was his last.

Traveling out to the abandoned Eel Marsh House to arrange a sale of the property, Arthur is met with some hostility in the town. Everyone knows why he is there, but none are happy about what has happened in the past with their children being killed and the old house and an inhabitant are to blame. The town’s people believe that there a woman that haunts the old house and if anyone sees her, it means that a child will soon perish at her hands.

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​Believing none of this, Arthur decides to stay in the old house and get as much of its affairs in order before he leaves at the end of the week. Seeing strange figures out of the corner of his eyes and hearing unexplainable sounds around the old estate, Arthur starts to believe that there might be something out of the ordinary going on. Reading the old documents that have been filed away for many years, Arthur finds out a secret that has been hidden for ages concerning the loss of a young boy that started the killing spree so many years ago.

The Women in Black follows the story of an old town’s superstition surrounding the loss of their children. Arthur Kipps has been called in to get the final documents together to sell the old house that is the place where the old spirit woman takes the children and adds them to her collection in death. Arthur does not believe in what the town’s people are telling him but sees the woman numerous times and a child’s death follows shortly thereafter. Wanting to understand the story and what really happened, Arthur is able to pull up some old documents and letters around the Eel Marsh House that explains much more than he would have ever learned from the townspeople. With the mystery solved about who the woman is and why she is killing, Arthur has to discover a way appease her and keep her from killing again.

An interesting story to say the least. The idea of a ghost being powerful enough to force people to do its bidding is nice enough, but when it is causing children to commit suicide, it makes it that much more disturbing. I liked the storyline but did not fall in love with any one character while the movie played on. Just a creepy movie that will keep you checking your kid's rooms at night to make sure that they are okay. Stay Scared.

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