Blackwood (2014) User Reviews (26)

Have you ever seen a ghost/supernatural film?

[bowmanblue · 4/10 · 13 May 2015]

If the answer is 'yes' then you might as well not read this review and not bother watching 'Blackwood.' Don't get me wrong – it's not bad. It's one and only problem is that it's so unoriginal that if you've even seen one previous supernatural/ghost story then you've basically seen this story (and quite possibly done better).

A teacher moves his family into an old creepy house, largely against their wishes. Once there, spooky things start to happen. Every quarter of an hour you'll catch sight of a reflection that wasn't there, or a shadow in night which disappears upon investigation. If that sounds scary to you, maybe you will get something out of it. Personally, I grew out of thinking that was in any way spooky when I was about ten.

The acting is nothing to write home about. That's not a criticism of the actors. They're good enough, as I've seen them in other things. However, they just go through the motions and you can see every vague sub-plot coming a mile off.

It's a British film and, in typical British style, it's low budget. I know it's a bit unfair to expect a Brit-funded film to compete with Hollywood blockbusters when it comes to special effects, so I can't be too harsh on 'Blackwood' for not even trying. Don't expect hordes of monsters or vast action sequences interspersed with the story.

It's a 'slow burner.' Possibly too slow for its own good. Basically, if you think that a door shutting on its own is scary, then you might like this. Otherwise, just watch one of your many other horror/ghost story DVDs that you probably already own. It's better.

Now move along... nothing to see here.

CHECK THIS FOR BLOOD

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 30 November 2018]

Professor Ben Marshall (Ed Stoppard) has had some pyschological issues that appear to be in the past. He starts lecturing at a new university and has acquired the old estate Blackwood where he lives with his wife Rachel (Sophia Myles) and son Harry (Isaac Andrews). Ben starts to see and hear things and wonders if he is having a relapse or is he seeing ghosts. Ben become obsessed with the ghosts and believes he has the answer in an unsolved murder.

I admit the film did give an unexpected twist. The problem was the characters were not overly likeable, especially Ben the main character. The story had no real protagonist, a mystery, and a ghost story that wasn't horrifying.

Guide: No nudity. 3 F-bombs. Attempted rape. Not a bad story, but I would rather watch "The Shining" for the umpteenth time.

Unjumpy

[begob · 5/10 · 26 February 2015]

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!

Unoriginal, poor.

[samcohensays · 3/10 · 8 May 2014]

Well, I am a huge fan of the 'things that go bump, spill your popcorn' kinda movie, so was interested from the start to see what these guys were pumping so hard in their reviews. I'm all for that to get your low budget flick a bit of a boost, but no-one likes to feel conned. The story is the usual predictable rip off of 'The Shining', house in country, tick, husband in crisis moves family away against their best wishes, tick, husband starts to lose the plot (not the only one), tick, we all see dead people, tick, lots of dark rooms, wide angles and flickering, etc, etc . . . Which is all cool, except the character development is almost non-existent, his poor wife is left as a totally 2 dimensional character, and the husband struggles to convince with such poor dialogue to work with. In conclusion, without giving anything away (you'll see it all coming a ways off), it's nothing that hasn't been done a hundred times before, and with far more flair. Rather than copying everything that's gone before, try making something original. Poor.

British ghost story.

[alistairc_2000 · 7/10 · 6 August 2014]

This is the type of movie that feels like it was written by James Herbert in his Ash the ghost investigator series. If you think of Haunted or Ghosts of Sleath you will get the right idea.

This movie starts so slowly you just keep thinking I wish it would hurry up. A guy is haunted by ghostly goings on in the middle of the night. He is convinced the previous owners of and that they did some nasty things. Basically it turns into a sort of who done it. Then in the last 20 minutes the movie comes alive and explains itself.

Is it worth the wait? This reminded me a lot of Brian Clements 70s series Thriller. 50 minutes of build up then the explanation.

This movie was good but could have been better.

I felt conned.

[jaspreetkahn · 3/10 · 11 May 2014]

I was surprised by some of the other reviews for this film, 10 out of 10? I was expecting a classic which had been gathering dust unloved, suddenly discovered and released to an adoring public, prompting review hysteria! I thought, wow! 'Bladerunner' IMDb rated 8.3, 'Citizen Kane' 8.5, 'Unforgiven' 8.3, this must be quite an undiscovered gem. It isn't.

Now, I don't claim to know much about the creative process of writing an original screenplay, but I'm pretty sure that the word 'original' is just about as important as 'screenplay'. This crazy-pa-moves-family-to spooky-house has been done, well lets say with no pun intended, to death.

I cannot understand why, essentially having really original takes on this theme, I'm looking at you, 'The Shining' and 'The Others', which took the idea in completely different and original directions, we need something like this which lacks any originality. The characters are written in 2 dimensions to such an extent that long before the end you simply couldn't care less what happens to them. But it doesn't stop the clichés coming thick and fast. Not only is this not a '10 out of 10' lost classic, it is derivative and lazy. It desperately needed rewrites from someone with something original to add to the genre. I felt conned.

Loved it!

[tatiana-green56 · 18 October 2013]

Seen this last night at the London Film Festival. It was the first night they ever showed it to the public and I feel honored to have seen it first. The child actor from the movie was sitting two feet away-so cute! Anyways this movie took an original twist on the whole family-moves-into- house-sh*t-goes-down type of movie and I liked it a lot. I was sad that the dad dies :( I really thought he would get to the house just in time to stop all the bad things from happening. Superb quality. I can't wait to see more from these people, though I couldn't help but notice the entire cast was white. Maybe mix it up a bit?

I loved this movie

[psholtzman · 7/10 · 4 July 2017]

I really enjoyed this movie, but I wish Russell Tovey had a bigger role in it. The main character, Ben, is a selfish man, more afraid of losing his identity than losing his family. The side character, Jack, is a damaged war hero, who already lost his family. Had the movie ended differently, with Jack as the wild card, I would have rated this movie higher. Cliché maybe, but this movie needed a grabber ending. At any rate, forget the comparisons, this movie is very entertaining.

What Barks and Wags its Tail?

[filmcriticalmiss · 3/10 · 31 May 2014]

Saw this at a festival last year and wasn't sure it was going to get distribution, but, against what appeared to be the general feeling it looks like it has a distributor for August, so have decided to post my notes.

The premise is the usual one for scary, strange-bump-in-the-night movies, emotionally challenged husband moves innocent family out of the big city and in to harms way. This is fine, after all, we all need to get our characters out of their comfort zones and into some kind of jeopardy, otherwise, 'Lassie' for example, would never have been made.

I totally love these type of films, but what follows is unfortunately something of a mash up of all the things you've seen before that have to appear in a make-'em-jump movie. Now, of course, we could try to to convince ourselves (a la Ben Affleck's speech to Col Dolittle in 'Pearl Harbour), that copying others is not bad, its an 'homage'. But then that would force you to accept the US remake of 'The Vanishing' was an 'homage' to George Sluizer's truly taut original. So we see 'Blackwood' is a fairly lame regurgitation of all the familiar tropes, there is a twist at the end, but if you don't spot it a mile you should pop out and show yourself a good time more often, either that or you've dozed off at some point. So all in all, not so unlike Lassie, a little bit more than just a dog.

A convoluted tale of why a director believes most women suck?

[DuskShadow · 3/10 · 25 February 2015]

What we have here, to keep it kinda short , but hardly sweet, is a film that is chock full of misdirection with no explanation . AT.ALL. A truly thrilling film most of the time, but that pretty much ends up saying: some guys in the world, whom are not bad but may have problems; men whom were once good, but because of women....s m h. PERIOD. The movie did a great job of keeping me watching and waiting for a true fright, but twas for naught. The suspense was there though...then it suddenly kept thinning out. In the end I found myself hating the women in this film, and perhaps even the main male characters a little. But if ALL that is what I felt, then it was but the aim of the director, and in that at least, the film succeeded. The rest...had so much potential....I really need a film about some redeeming qualities of people now lol.

A grown up ghost story with a great twist

[tmills19234 · 9/10 · 26 July 2014]

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.

Don't Waste Your Time

[beorhouse · 1/10 · 19 October 2017]

What promises to be a ghost story turns out to be a tired murder mystery peopled with a mentally handicapped war veteran, an evolution-teaching psycho, a rapist, and an emotionally wounded nine year old. This one's not worth your time. Unless you like made-for-TV movie schlock.

Spoilers follow ...

[parry_na · 3/10 · 1 December 2016]

Beautifully filmed in some truly stunning rural locations (you can almost hear the dew dripping from autumnal branches), this tepid haunted house mystery features Ben (Ed Stoppard), his wife Rachel (Sophia Myles) and young son Harry (Isaac Andrews) relocating to a huge and remote country house following some difficult personal times.

As the scant ghostly noises in the night threaten to topple Ben into thinking his sanity is crumbling once more, the main thing that strikes me is how unlikable he is. Irritable and unreasonable, he treats his family very offhandedly, and comes across as exactly the kind of shallow, thoughtless bore I would cross the road to avoid.

A terrific supporting cast including Paul Kaye and Russell Tovey turn in very earnest performances, but sadly the script fails to come to life and remains pretty uninvolving. The problem is, these sinister characters are actually more likable than Ben, as is sleazy Dominic (Greg Wise) who tries to strike up an affair with Rachel. Up until the last reel you almost wish she would go with him.

As a whole, it is the hero who sinks this unfrightening ghost story. Not that Ed Stoppard is a bad actor, but there is not one note of kindness or sympathy about him, and whether his manner is the result of his earlier breakdown, or whether he is actually correct in his intention to 'protect' his family, he severely tests our patience long before the end.

Excellent everything - except script. Script is mentally handicapped

[veo · 6 August 2016]

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!

What's the road to Hell paved with?

[umlaut_ampersand · 1/10 · 23 July 2014]

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.

Great Chiller

[tbucksdale2689 · 8/10 · 15 July 2014]

I don't know if the word chiller is strictly a genre but Blackwood perfectly fits the description. A moody thriller with ghost story leanings, mysterious locals, a missing woman and child and a haunted house that could have been plucked straight out of a Gothic romance it serves to get under the skin rather than try to turn your stomach. Directed with flare, rich cinematography and and a very haunting score it was one of the best low budget British films I've seen for some time. Sometimes the characters are difficult to root for as they are such a complex bunch riled with hidden secrets, but equally it's interesting to see a film that challenges your allegiance as to who to sympathise with. Wouldn't have hurt been a little longer to tie up some of the complex back stories but If you like well written character based horror and a good old fashioned fright then give it a look in.

Awesome thriller

[Horsmansofhartfield · 10/10 · 25 April 2014]

I expected this film to be good but not THIS good.

It is a phenomenal thriller - this film had me on the edge of my seat and I am a hard person to please. Plot twists and unexpected turns are typical of Adam Wimpenny's shorts but this is really stand out for me - J.S. Hill, the writer must be commended on the script. I'd love to say more but it wouldn't be fair if you haven't see this movie yet.

In terms of the actors the cast was great, Sophia Myles is very convincing and I was extremely impressed by the quality of the acting by Isaac Andrews, given he is so young. Russell Tovey was also very good in a very different role or him, nice to see the other side to his comedy roles.

If this was the first feature film by Hill and Wimpenny, I can't wait to see what they do next!

Intelligent Drama

[merryn-986-690199 · 8/10 · 27 April 2014]

A good old fashioned take on the traditional ghost story which works well. Shot beautifully with good use of locations that reflect the story and add to the drama. A well paced script builds the tension throughout and you're never quite sure what's coming next. Sometimes there are some predictable shock factors but all in all a film that makes you want to see what happens at the end. Good cast as well. With high production values for a lower budget, we should look forward to seeing what comes next from this new promising director/producer team. Recommend this very British production and welcome quality drama in the making.

Moody Indie that strikes a nerve

[ron-burgundy-986-376883 · 9/10 · 16 May 2014]

Very well made British thriller from a directing/writing/producing team I hadn't heard of before. Lots of attention to detail has gone into this film, from the sound design to the smart, layered writing that has a few tricks up it's sleeve. On top of that the score by Lorne Balfe, who I have followed for a while is very inventive and has a lot of character. The two leads we're well cast in their roles and much enjoyed seeing Paul Kaye in a very different role to what he has played in the past. Nice to see a film that keeps the horror psychological rather than in your face. This low budget film has production values that punch well above its weight. Looking forward to see what they come up with next.

Back to the days of the great British suspense thriller

[mlstone999 · 10/10 · 28 April 2014]

I have been following this team since they made 'ROAR' and had been waiting for a full length production for a while. Could Mr Wimpenny & Co build their on their initial success? ...Well in short yes, and then some! "Blackwood" takes you back to the days of the great British suspense thriller. You know its coming but it still makes you jump. You know that the 'victim' will do something stupid but you still hear yourself saying noooooo, don't go in there!" – They still do! You know there has to be a twist, but you still won't see it coming - you then can't wait to watch the whole damn thing a second time to make sure that you didn't miss the obvious 'tells' and that the director didn't pull a fast-one – well I didn't and he doesn't...but you still won't see it until it unravels right in front of you. If you get the chance go and see Blackwood, it is an excellent story, wonderfully told and beautifully shot...you will be scared, you will jump, you will not see it coming and most importantly, you will not be disappointed...10/10

Fantastic, atmospheric thriller

[hazel-dart · 9/10 · 8 December 2014]

Very well crafted and confidently told, Blackwood is a little treat of film. Telling the story of a family with issues relocating to a new house to start over, it may have a familiar ring to it but as the film slowly unravels it takes delight in going off in unexpected directions, this is a film that likes to toy with what the audience has come to expect of these types of films. Writing too much about it would spoil the fun but if you like twisty-turny plotting and shock endings you won't be disappointed. With a strong cast of British actors, not usually seen in this type of genre, the material feels elevated above some of the other films around like this. Sophia Myles who recently popped up Kicking robo-butt in transformers gives a confident, feisty performance and Ed Stoppard as the flawed hero walks the fine line of leaving the audience wondering if we should be rooting for, or booing this complex man. Nicely shot on an old school anamorphic look it definitely has the feel of a 70's movie and the retro leanings come through.

Retro chiller definitely worth a watch

[steve-coen · 9/10 · 16 May 2014]

Watched this film last year at the London film festival as I heard about it playing in the cult category. I went along with a friend and we thoroughly enjoyed this little gem of a film. It's one of those movies that really does benefit from coming to it knowing nothing about the story as there's some very smart plays on the genre that take place that you won't see coming. The cinematography is beautiful, there's some really creative direction and the cast are all great, especially Greg Wise and the little boy. If you like your ghost stories and supernatural thrillers leaving more to the imagination and thick with atmosphere then go check this out, you're in for a little treat,

Super!

[mspannacotta · 8/10 · 5 May 2014]

Wonderful production, beautiful locations. The whole film was executed to such a high standard. Great cast too, especially Sophia Myles. I liked the level of suspense, and the tension wasn't too overwhelming or distracting from the plot. Just the right level to be a traditional ghost story without being too shocking. There's twists to the plot, just what you would expect, but all placed very well in the storyline to not be cliché.

A testament to a low budget British film, however I feel there is further to go and possibly a break away from this genre. Overall I really enjoyed the film and hope to see more from Wimpenny and co.

An English family moves into a new estate, apparently haunted, but things are not at all what they seem.

[phil-37442 · 8/10 · 1 January 2016]

This a terrific chiller set in the moody English countryside (with a real "Hound of the Baskervilles" atmosphere) where a family, whose father suffers from emotional problems, settles into a large estate apparently haunted by the ghosts of the groundskeeper's family. However, nothing is as it seems in this extremely well-written, intricate, and devious plot that makes terrific use a "red herring" technique to lead the audience astray and to set them up for an explosive ending and a finely wrought denouement in which every haunting clue of the preceding 75% of the film is quickly explained in a haunting twist and which turns the basic haunted house motif on its head.

I went into this expecting an average horror flick, based up the description I read on the back of the DVD case in the video store. That description does not do it justice. The film starts off slowly as what seems to be a basic supernatural mystery as the father, a film-maker who makes history documentaries, researches the background behind the apparitions appearing in his house that only he can see. The suspense maintains a steady, but slow pace in the first 75% of the film, gradually climbing, so gradually that I started to doze off once or twice, guessing that the ending would be what I thought it would be. I was seriously wrong. Suddenly, the father realizes the tragic truth of the situation and rushes to save his family. Then everything becomes clear very quickly to him and the audience and one revelation after another springs up combining into a mind-boggling ending.

I recommend this film very highly. It is worth viewing, even if you are not a fan of the genre, just to see how great films, not to mention great stories should be written. This is one of the best suspense/supernatural mystery films I have seen come out of England in a long time.

Completely satisfied.

[Nemesis42 · 10/10 · 2 May 2015]

Very clever film with high satisfaction towards the end.

Ghost story with an intelligent twist. All film making departments working well together. It takes the classic bump in the night idea and transports it to another level.

The supporting cast are great. The end might be a slight stretch for some but I realized this and moved on. I was thoroughly entertained and enthralled, and only after the credits rolled did I perceive any faults or possible improvements that the film could have achieved.

The cinematography, editing, sound and music are all perfect in this.

If it was low budget it did not show. I recommend this if you like metaphysical themes and wish to have your mind stimulated.