Radcliffe is definitely a fine actor, and his 10 years of battling You Know Who on screen have trained him well to deal with intricate expressions of fear. He can, with the slightest of changes in posture or widening of his blue eyes, convey the terror that the audience is also experiencing in this jump-out-of-your-seat thriller. This is old school horror -- a ghost story full of creepy images of dolls and wind-up toys with freaky eyes, crows that appear seemingly out of nowhere, and kids who find ways of killing themselves to appease a vengeful specter.

But despite the movie's scream-worthy scenes, which are set up so leisurely that you just know you a surprise is coming, director James Watkins spends too much time creating the eerie mood and not enough propelling it forward. It's the kind of movie that feels two-hours-plus long, when it's actually only 95 minutes. At least the performances are good. Radcliffe is supported by two of Britain's most valuable players -- Ciaran Hinds and Janet McTeer -- as Mr. and Mrs. Daily, the wealthiest couple in Crythin Gifford. They too once lost a son and deal with it in frightening, comedic ways. Any scene with them in it is a highlight of the movie. It's lovely to see the Boy Who Lived move on, but don't expect The Woman in Black to be nearly as memorable as Harry Potter or as creepily mind-blowing as The Others.