The Woman in Black 2 isn’t as scary as its prequel, assumes most of us have watched the first film, and sees a surpring number of deaths. You also wish some of the story was about the children separated from parents put through horrors. However, the focus almost entirely is on Fox.

The Woman in Black: Angel of Death 2 is scary enough to entertain but won’t play with your mind when you’re home and the lights go out.

The stylishness and eerie visual sophistication creates an often unsettling, almost surreal vibe that emphasizes how disconnected they all are from the rest of the world. And the very grin-and-bear-it style Brit stiff upper lip that they try to maintain (Eve and Jean even have time for a spot of tea in the kitchen as they try to figure out what’s going on) adds to the sense of surrealism. Overall, the movie doesn’t rewrite the book of shock (despite the jump scares), but what you get is a fast-paced scare flick with an ending that could have been creepier.

Angel of Death has the occasional spark but for many parts it is just dull. At no point is enough interested evoked in the characters, including the ghost. Luckily, the director has restrained himself from overdoing the standard tropes seen in horror films. Relative newcomer Phoebe Fox as the leading lady has put up a good show but otherwise this ghost business is average fare.

The only silver lining in this snoozefest is newcomer Phoebe Fox who is not only too pretty but is also a really good performer as she holds her ground in a rather silly film. If only she weren’t offset by the character of Helen McCrory, who spends three fourths of the film denying the existence of ghosts with heavy handed philosophical ramblings and then hilariously apologises for the same when the woman in black shows up in her face.

When watching a horror movie in a theater, there’s always a contest going on between those who are there to genuinely enjoy a good horror film and those who like to pretend that nothing scares them by making fun of the film in their loudest voice. During mediocre films such as this one, it’s the pretentious douchebags that are winning. You’ll be better served staying at home and catching The Babadook instead.

The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death is one of those films that you can watch and then brag about later. There isn’t much thinking to do. As a one-time watch, this film is perfect. Watch this film over the weekend and you can add another film to your horror movie list.