Good start, but then it gets ruined

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Great, great cinematography! Also suspense, thrills, actors, music - you name it, this film has it all; even that "This looks like a special film" look, which is a rare thing today. Too bad the "twist" is shockingly weak and the whole idea is BAD. It's something done dozens of times. The film markets itself as "The classic English ghost story gets a revision" - no, it doesn't. You're promised something special but you get something done to death and weak, very weak. And to add insult to injury, the bad guy in this British atmospheric, beautifully filmed movie dies like countless bad guys in cheap American B movies. No, I'm sorry, great landscapes don't make a film smart or good. Oh, and even the stunning Sophia Myles looks old and vapid!

Clever premonition concept.First thing I noticed was the line, "But where are you going to stay?", followed by the title, Blackwood. Then the incredibly snappy editing. It really sucks you into what seems like a simple story.But the editing creates a problem - the snappiness destroys the jump-scares. The first hour has maybe ten, and none of them worked for me mostly because they don't allow time for a lull before the scare.And there was one jump-scare at 11 min - guy looks at the face of a grandfather clock, then the camera pans as he looks down at the inside, and as he stands the camera pans up with him to show ... his wife. Good variation on the closing-door jump-scare, but she was standing too far away from the camera.Everything else I liked, but overall it's not really a horror - more psychological thriller with false promise of the supernatural. Although the premonitions are nicely reflected back in the end sequence, psycho killer is not what I was hoping for. Plus Brit horror is so short on trashy sex and gore.ps. Nice to see Dennis Penis has found God. And one-earner families will still do anything to get an unaffordable mortgage in cider country. Ooo rrr!

Blackwood is a supernatural horror/haunted house film in the vein of The Others, What Lies beneath and the Orphanage. If you like hard horror this may not be for you but if you're big on mood, atmosphere and things that go bump in the night you won't be disappointed. Set in the Wales/Bristol/Cotsworld region the film capitalises on what The UK has in spades; brooding sky's, panoramic moorlands, eerie woods and old houses that you know are harbouring dark secrets behind their closed doors. I've watched a bunch of good paranormal movies from the states recently, especially the Blumhouse movies but although they do have some good scares they never have the right sorts of locations to give you a chill as they can't escape things being too contemporary and suburban. This film is more of a classic grown up ghost story that understands the rules that fear begins in the mind. If you're looking for a film that's a bit different to the other summer fare give it a look in. Great twist too.

Watched this at last year's London Film Festival and was excited by a write-up that suggested elements of The Shining, The Others, maybe even Don't Look Now. Would have been particularly enjoyable to see a good British horror film and the cast and stills looked promising. Sadly, it's a terrible film. Think of a horror film cliché and you'll find it here. The acting is awful throughout (from the adults anyway, the boy in it was very good) and the dialogue pedestrian. Overall, the script is remarkably bad - no spoilers, but there are one or two moments where characters do things so out of character for a cheap bit of extra "tension" that they're genuinely laughable.Very surprised to see this has got a wider release. Could only recommend seeing it if there are no good comedies out as sadly you won't find a single scare or indeed original moment here.