Today’s horror films tend to be, for lack of a better word, disgusting. They pile on the gore and spare little thought for suspense and genuine scares. But every once in a while Hollywood produces a movie which knows how to effectively haunt audiences without using cheap tricks. The Woman in Black, an old-fashioned gothic chiller, is one of those movies.

In his first post-Potter appearance, Daniel Radcliffe stars as Arthur Kipps, a turn-of-the-century London lawyer who is charged with traveling to a small village to go through the papers of a recently deceased woman. When he arrives at her remote and cavernous house, strange events begin to occur, and Arthur slowly begins to realize he is dealing with the wrath of a vengeful ghost.

The film’s director, James Watkins, perfects the film with flawless pacing. The key to any horror film is the build-up, and Watkins takes his time as he lays the groundwork for the story. The clichés are all there: the nervous and unhelpful townspeople, the creepy children who seem to be watching you. Clichés often became overused because they can be incredibly effective, and they certainly are here. You can’t help but feel uneasy, and that unease helps to heighten the tension once Arthur arrives at the house.

While in the house, there is never a dull moment. You constantly feel like something is watching Arthur. Watkins employs a dark, quiet atmosphere, as well as a few red-herring scares to keep the audience on its toes. And that’s the difference between The Woman in Black and many other horror films — the atmosphere and suspense make the scares even more spine-tingling.

The performances mostly enhance these creepy effects. Ciaran Hinds, a famous Irish character actor, gives a good performance as Sam Daily, a villager who helps Arthur with his duties. Daily’s son drowned at a young age, leaving him to deal with his mentally unstable wife and the superstitions villagers.

But this movie is Radcliffe’s show. He is in almost every scene and frequently finds himself in the house without anyone else. While he does not deliver a powerhouse performance, he is effective enough to evoke both fear and sadness from the audience. The scenes where he shines are not the ones where he interacts with people, but the ones where he is “alone.” Confusion and terror are etched into his face, and he looks genuinely horrified at several points. His performance makes Kipps’ search for the ghost all the more harrowing.

The Woman in Black is certainly not perfect. Radcliffe’s performance can be wooden at times, and many of the supporting characters aren’t all that interesting. Some people may find the ending, which I happened to like, disappointing and unfit for a horror film. Despite these minor details, this film still manages to deliver some clever thrills and white-knuckle suspense which will haunt you for nights to come.