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Daniel Radcliffe stars as Arthur Kidd, a young father and lawyer, in the 2012 remake of “The Woman in Black.”

Radcliffe’s first big onscreen film since Harry Potter hasn’t quite escaped his “Potter” legacy – Adrian Rawlins, the actor who played the original Arthur Kidd in 1989, is the same actor who plays Harry’s father, James Potter, in the acclaimed series. 

Arthur Kidd is a widower with a young son who leaves for the weekend to wrap up some loose ends on a case which he has been working on. Kidd finds himself in a remote village in England where his presence is less than welcomed. 

Despite much warning, Kidd goes to the abandoned mansion of the family for which he is working. The estate is located on an island near the village, and can only be accessed during low tide; when the water rises, the road to the house disappears, making it impossible to leave or enter the property. 

Here, Kidd quickly discovers the root of the villagers’ anxieties, and takes it upon himself to try to end the dreaded curse of a woman dressed in black. 

The open ocean and grandeur of the vintage home is a beautiful setting for this creepy film, but it does not quite take away the sting of a slew of brutal deaths of children.

Whether or not Kidd prevails in ridding the town of the woman’s ghost can only be answered by seeing the film, and although it’s tempting, try to refrain from the many opportunities to sneak in a Hogwarts reference or two. 

Reinventing yourself after a role like Harry Potter is quite a challenge, but this role was a step in the right direction for Radcliffe.