After 10 years battling supernatural creatures, you'd think Harry Potter would be better equipped to deal with the paranormal pests he faces in James Watkins's old-fashioned ghost story. But wait, this isn't Harry, it's Daniel Radcliffe, in his first on-screen role since the wizard series wrapped. He plays Arthur Kipps, a lawyer reeling from the loss of his wife in childbirth. Leaving his son in London, he's been dispatched to a remote English village to sort out the affairs of a deceased estate owner. Alas, the job gets complicated when he discovers the bad juju in the old manor. Namely, it's haunted and its ghostly proprietor has her evil eye on the village's children. Reminiscent of The Uninvited (1944), The Woman shows potential with its atmospheric spookiness, but falters when the scares fail to materialize. Radcliffe, rallying to throw aside his Hogwarts robes, looks as confused as he does fearful.
