Widow's Walk

I am unsure why this film has received such negative reviews. It's not the most original or the greatest film ever but it is definitely worth watching. It's nicely paced and although you can figure out most of the elements quite quickly, the denouement is still quite satisfying. One reviewer wrote that it is ant-climactic but I beg to disagree. The acting is decent and the cinematography is excellent. Don't approach it with preconceptions and just appreciate this simple story.

A most unusual story that I guess you could categorise as a ghost story, it certainly raises lots of questions at the end.

An atmospheric start, various characters come and go and you're never entirely sure how they all fit in. I felt the early scenes needed to be supported by an underscore, somehow the English accent sounded flat against the vastness. The director loves a close up and there are some striking shots, I wonder if this was sometimes focused on at the expense of the story.

I felt it had flaws and yet somehow it completely drew me in. Certainly a fascinating movie to watch.

This movie is atmospheric and beautifully shot but not much else. The mystery, if you can call it that is very predictable. The scares are not very scary and there is not much to the spookyness that is abroad. But, all that said, the cast is good and believable and the story is touching. It is also a feast fo the eyes, and ears. The score is beautiful and compliments the breathtaking vistas and epicness of the coastline. There are worse ways to spend an evening.

I have an inkling that the 2 to 3 votes are from viewers under 40 and the 8 to 10 from viewers over 40. You have to have lived life to appreciate this film. Beautiful story and visuals, good acting, a poignant ghost story. If you're looking for special effects and scare tactics, this movie isn't for you.

Having lost my own father at 11 years old, and having watched my mother go through the grief and hopelesness that comes with the loss of a close family member, I was definately a little biased towards this movie from the outset. That being said, Widow's Walk does a tremendous job of portraying the aspects of grief that come with the premise of the movie. Horror fans looking for quick scares will be sorely dissapointed, as the movie is pretty much void of those. But those familiar with the true losses of life will find a reckognizable theme in the film, even down to the "grey" colours of the movie perfectly portraying what those times are recounted as in their memory, down to the mother finally having the courage again to don a dress in front of the mirror and putting on lipstick. Infinately sad, but brilliant.

While Widows Walk is classified as a Horror Movie, it is to be seen through the lens of tragedy, rather than fright. It does an incredible job of encapsulating the feeling of grief into film, and at the end of it all, that is the greatest horror that life has to offer; the loss of those close to us, and how we deal with it. The storyline involved, while slow-paced and somewhat predictable, is second to the emotions that this movie carries, especially for those familiar with these emotions.

A deep and touching movie, more than warranting a solid score.