Reviews: The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death (2014) Movie Review / Ending Explained / FAQs
Subgenres: Featured Supernatural, Haunted House, Supernatural, Desolate, Haunted House - Cursed
Horror fans will enjoy our review of The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death (2014), where we cover its story, scares, and how it ranks among modern horror classics.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (2014), directed by Tom Harper, attempts to rekindle the gothic horror that made the original a chilling success. Set decades after the first film, this sequel shifts its setting to wartime England, aiming for emotional weight and psychological dread—but ultimately struggles to capture the same haunted magic.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (2014) – A Gothic Sequel That Loses Its Grip
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
Set during World War II, the story follows Eve Parkins, a young schoolteacher tasked with evacuating a group of orphans from London to the eerie, remote Eel Marsh House. As the children settle into their unsettling new surroundings, Eve begins to suspect a dark presence is watching them. The vengeful spirit of Jennet Humfrye, better known as the Woman in Black, returns with a renewed thirst for grief-fueled destruction.
Thematically, the film explores loss, trauma, and repressed guilt, using the war-torn backdrop to amplify the feelings of helplessness and isolation. Eve’s own tragic past makes her a fitting protagonist in a story about the emotional toll of haunting—both literal and metaphorical.
However, while the concept holds promise, character development remains shallow. Eve is sympathetic, but we never fully connect with her. Supporting characters, including the children and fellow caretaker Jean Hogg, feel underutilized. The emotional arcs are hinted at, but rarely fulfilled in a way that deepens the horror.
Acting and Cinematography
Phoebe Fox carries the film as Eve with quiet intensity, offering a grounded performance that evokes empathy, even when the script doesn’t provide enough depth. Jeremy Irvine, as RAF pilot Harry, adds a romantic subplot that feels forced and underdeveloped, though he delivers a committed performance.
Visually, The Woman in Black 2 retains the atmospheric beauty of its predecessor. The fog-covered marshlands, dusty corridors, and candlelit shadows create a truly haunted aesthetic. The cinematography embraces the gothic tone—dripping with dread and silence—but it’s the sound design that often carries the tension.
Jump scares are used liberally, but not always effectively. While some moments genuinely startle, the overreliance on loud stingers and shadowy figures peeking from corners grows predictable. Still, the film maintains an unnerving visual language that at least looks the part of a traditional ghost story.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Tom Harper’s direction leans heavily into the slow-burn gothic tradition, but without the emotional layering that gave the original film its punch. The mood is well-executed, and the set design is consistently eerie, yet the film lacks a core narrative anchor.
The pacing fluctuates—starting strong with tension and mystery, only to meander through repetitive scares and an underwhelming climax. The Woman in Black herself feels less impactful this time, more of a visual effect than a fully realized threat. Her motivations and presence, so terrifying in the original, become muddled in this sequel.
Despite its shortcomings, there are moments of brilliance—especially scenes involving the children, where innocence clashes with supernatural horror. Unfortunately, these flashes are brief and often lost in the formulaic execution.
Strengths:
Visually rich gothic atmosphere and set design
Phoebe Fox delivers a strong lead performance
Moments of effective tension and ghostly imagery
Explores emotional trauma within a wartime backdrop
Creepy, desolate setting that enhances isolation
Weaknesses:
Weak character development and emotional depth
Overused jump scares with diminishing impact
Thin storyline with predictable twists
The ghost lacks the menace she had in the original
Pacing issues and lack of satisfying payoff
Final Verdict & Score: 5/10
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death offers haunting visuals and a few unsettling moments, but it lacks the narrative strength and emotional tension that made the original so memorable. It’s a beautifully dressed haunted house with too few surprises inside. For fans of atmospheric horror, it’s a passable watch—but don’t expect the same level of fear or finesse.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (2014) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is The Woman in Black 2 a direct sequel to the first film?
Yes. The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death is a standalone sequel that takes place 40 years after the events of the first film. While the original protagonist Arthur Kipps does not return, the haunted Eel Marsh House remains central to the plot, with the malevolent ghost of Jennet Humfrye continuing her vengeful mission.
Who is the Woman in Black in this movie?
The Woman in Black is the ghost of Jennet Humfrye, a woman who lost her son under tragic circumstances and became consumed by vengeance. Her spirit haunts Eel Marsh House, targeting children and anyone who dares to enter. In this sequel, her wrath is reignited by the arrival of war orphans and their caretakers.
What caused the haunting in The Woman in Black 2?
Minor Spoiler: The haunting is rooted in Jennet’s trauma from losing her child, who drowned in the marshes. Her spirit remains attached to the house, and whenever a child arrives, her rage resurfaces. The arrival of Eve and the children in the midst of World War II gives her new victims to torment.
Is Daniel Radcliffe’s character in The Woman in Black 2?
No. The sequel features an entirely new cast and storyline. Daniel Radcliffe’s character, Arthur Kipps, was part of the first film and is not referenced in Angel of Death. However, the setting and supernatural entity remain the same.
Who is the main character in The Woman in Black 2?
Eve Parkins, played by Phoebe Fox, is the central character. She’s a young schoolteacher with a traumatic past who escorts a group of children to Eel Marsh House for safety during wartime. As the haunting intensifies, Eve becomes determined to protect the children from Jennet’s influence.
Does any child die in The Woman in Black 2?
Minor Spoiler: Yes. The film continues the franchise’s theme of child mortality, with Edward, one of the orphans, being manipulated by Jennet and ultimately dy**g under mysterious circumstances. His death underscores the ghost’s relentless obsession with children.
What is the connection between Eve’s past and the haunting?
Eve has her own traumatic history—she was forced to give up her child for adoption, which mirrors Jennet’s loss. This emotional resonance is why Jennet targets her more intensely. The ghost’s obsession with maternal pain amplifies the psychological horror throughout the film.
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death – Ending Explained
In the final act of The Woman in Black 2, Eve and Harry attempt to escape the cursed Eel Marsh House with the surviving children. As Jennet’s ghost intensifies her attacks, she manipulates young Edward into leading Eve to the nursery—the heart of Jennet’s grief.
Minor Spoiler: Harry, trying to help, is dragged into the marsh and drowned, fulfilling Jennet’s curse on adults who interfere. Eve faces off with Jennet’s ghost and returns a buried photograph of Jennet’s son, hoping to appease her spirit.
Although this temporarily halts the ghost’s aggression, Jennet’s curse proves unbreakable. Edward, still emotionally vulnerable, is haunted into walking into an oncoming train, fulfilling the chilling final act of the Woman in Black’s revenge cycle.
The film ends with Eve mourning the loss, and a final shot reveals Jennet’s ghost still watching, her presence as strong as ever. The implication is clear—Eel Marsh House remains cursed, and Jennet will continue her vengeance on any child who enters her domain.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death Rating Scores
- Our Score: 5/10
- Overall Score: 4.24/10
- IMDB: 4.8/10
- MetaCritic: 4.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 2.5/10
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