Happy New Year! This week at the movies, we’ve got just one wide release: The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, a period frightfest starring Phoebe Fox and Jeremy Irvine). What do the critics have to say?
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death has two strikes against it right off the bat: it’s a sequel, and it’s being released during the first weekend of the new year, which is traditionally a dumping ground for middling movies. Critics say this one is better than most, but although the film is atmospheric and visually sharp, it’s never particularly scary. It’s 1941, and a group of children have been relocated to an English country house to escape the London Blitz. But when several of the children go missing, their caretakers suspect a malevolent spirit may be responsible. The pundits say The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death looks terrific, but it’s vaguely unsettling rather than tense.
The pundits say The Missing (Certified Fresh at 96 percent) turns a routine premise into a standout thriller, thanks to heartfelt, affecting performances.
A Most Violent Year, starring Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac in a drama about a heating oil supplier whose business is attacked by an unknown rival, is Certified Fresh at 93 percent.
The Search For General Tso, a documentary about the history behind the popular Chinese dish, is at 89 percent.
[REC] 4: Apocalypse, the fourth installment of the Spanish horror franchise about the fallout from a deadly viral outbreak, is at 71 percent.
