Less is certainly more in The Woman In Black, a chilling film version of the celebrated novel by Susan Hill.

Working from a screenplay by Jane Goldman, director James Watkins delivers a cinematic ghost train of a film.

It plunges us into the eerie silence of a haunted house as the film's mutton-chopped hero nervously wanders corridors with a flickering lamp.

Expectations of unspeakable horrors around each darkened corner play havoc with our frayed nerves and Watkins orchestrates some nice scares, accompanied by deafening bursts of composer Marco Beltrami's discordant score.

The decision to forego dialogue to concentrate on old-fashioned horror traditions is refreshing and renders leading man Daniel Radcliffe mute for extended periods, which is no bad thing.

In his first major role since hanging up his wand as Harry Potter, the 22-year-old actor is as wooden as the creaky floorboards in the godforsaken mansion.

London solicitor Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is haunted by the death of his wife Stella (Sophie Stuckey) during child birth, and he seeks refuge in his love for their three-year-old boy, Joseph (Misha Handley).

His work suffers as a consequence, until Arthur's boss Mr Bentley (Roger Allam) demands more from him. To prove himself, Arthur is dispatched to the remote village of Crythin Gifford where he must attend to the papers of Alice Drablow, the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House.

The locals try to warn him off, but Arthur persists with the help of local landowner Mr Daily (Ciaran Hinds) and glimpses a mysterious woman (Liz White) dressed all in black, who is blamed for the deaths of children in the village.

The Woman In Black opens with a chilling scene of three girls committing suicide, and continues to unnerve – until Radcliffe is compelled to speak.

Director Watkins doesn't reveal too much of his malevolent spirit and a centrepiece sequence in a bog of choking mud leaves us gasping along with the characters.

Radcliffe's failings are highlighted by lively performances from Hinds and Janet McTeer, the latter playing Daily's deranged wife.

Disappointingly, the denouement errs heavily towards sentiment when the rest of the film is permeated by dread.