I wasn't overly impressed with the first WOMAN IN BLACK film, starring Daniel Radcliffe, which I thought was okay but a bit lacklustre in comparison to the excellent but little-known 1980s adaptation. However, the first film looks like a masterwork in comparison to this cheap sequel.

The first thing that becomes apparent about THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH is that it's so blooming dark. Every scene seemingly takes place in near pitch blackness, which makes 90% of what's going on really difficult to make out. I suspect that the poor lighting was due to hide deficiencies of budget and the like - poor sets for example - but it makes for a frustrating viewing experience.

Otherwise, the plot is a rehash of the first film's, except with different characters and a larger cast. The backdrop is WW2 but doesn't really play an important role in the proceedings, and the lead, Phoebe Fox, is saddled with a very dull character. Helen McCrory is a little better, but the 'horror' content is limited to repetitive jump scares and there's little to nothing in the way of genuine atmosphere or real plotting. Instead, this WOMAN IN BLACK feels like stumbling down a flight of stairs in the dark; there's the odd jolt or two, but you'll regret it afterwards.

It's 1941. Eve Parkins is escorting some children to the Eel Marsh House escaping from the blitz in London. She meets RAF pilot Harry Burnstow on the train who is stationed nearby. Jean Hogg is the mistress at the home for kids. Strange things occur and a child is found dead outside.

This is a horror without much scares or tension. It has the moodiness but there is too much dark in the scenes. The adults aren't that compelling. The reveal of Burnstow's job is interesting. This movie may be better off if the kids are the protagonists. This could be scary from the children's point of view.

This loose sequel is set 40 years after the original film. Eve Parkins (Phoebe Fox) a schoolteacher, her young students and the headmistress Jean Hogg (Helen McCrory) are evacuated from London during the Blitz.

They are sent to isolated Eel Marsh House, where the events of the first film took place. One lad Edward who has been mute since his parents were killed in the bombing is cruelly bullied by several children. One of them ends up being dead, the boy being drawn out of the house by the vengeful woman in black.

Eve is protective of Edward and there is a dashing airman station nearby the mansion.

It is a spooky gothic film with a funeral theme. The trouble is I could not see a thing. The budget must have been so low, the cinematographer could not even buy a wind up torch to light the film. A large portion of the film seems to consist of a dark screen.