Blumhouse takes a bold approach to daytime horror in their latest film, The Woman in the Yard. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who gained recognition for his 2000s horror films, including the remake of House of Wax and the shocking Orphan, this film marks his return to the genre to explore themes of grief and depression. Recently, there’s been an uptick of films depicting grief in horror films, with titles like Hereditary and The Babadook both offering unique takes on this emotional theme. With each new film covering such topics, innovative ways to present these heavy emotions within the horror framework continue to push the boundary. While The Woman in the Yard boasts strong performances and a grounded first half, it unfortunately loses steam in the second half as it transitions into a maze of disillusionment.
The Woman in the Yard follows Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler), a mother of two struggling with the loss of her husband. Although this loss is never mentioned early on, it is subtly hinted at through flashbacks and indications of a paternal presence that is missing. Recurring shots of an empty chair at the dinner table suggest the father’s absence. Ramona is introduced with a broken leg, which limits her ability to fulfill her motherly duties. We see her son Taylor (Peyton Jackson), stepping up to help by cooking breakfast for his younger sister Annie (Estella Kahiha). On top of her physical struggles, Ramona wakes up to find that they have no electricity and have run out of dog food. To make matters worse, a woman unexpectedly appears in their yard. This woman becomes a central figure in the film, driving the plot forward as Ramona seeks to uncover who she is and what she wants.
The first half of this film is its strongest point. The inclusion of the woman in the yard, covered in a black from head to toe (obviously representing death in some way), contrasts with the brightness of the sun, adding a frightening tension of mystery as to what this woman is upto. The daytime setting adds this sense of impatience, reminiscent of the temperature in Do the Right Thing, where the heat feels almost boiling. In this case, the woman in the yard serves as that boiling point pushing this family against one another in trying to solve the mystery of her presence. Her existence enhances the performances of the actors, who truly excel in their roles. Danielle Detweiler conveys a range of emotions—from deep sadness to masking a strong composure she attempts to maintain for her children. This duality should be challenging to exhibit, but she does so with ease. Additionally, Peyton Jackson and Estella Kahiha add realism to their performances, making viewers empathize with these kids in such a tough situation. With the combination of the setting and the performances, it all comes full circle with how beautiful the film looks, utilizing shadows and Dutch angles to convey that everything isn’t as it seems.
Many of my issues with the film arise in the second half, where more revelations unfold. Stylistically, the film undergoes a significant shift, which can be quite jarring as it transitions from daytime horror to an unreliable narration-led film in the dark. Interestingly, what makes the first half of the film engaging loses its impact as it shifts from a daytime horror theme to an abstract nighttime maze within the house. While unreliable narration can be effective if executed properly, I felt that the screenwriter overwhelmed the audience with sequences that lacked clarity and were often repetitive. At times, this approach feels like a cop-out. This ultimately leads to an ending that is intended to be bold but ends up being a head-scratcher.
Final Thoughts:
The Woman in the Yard has a promising start but takes its themes of grief and depression and presents them in an abstract way that makes it, at times, hard to follow. From a technical standpoint, this could be one of the better-looking horror films of the year with its radiant sunlight creating the tone. The film falls flat in the second half with its focus on unreliable narration. This unreliable narration blurs the line between what is real and what is fake, usually making for an interesting plot device. Instead, the film gets messy and incoherent and leaves the audience shrugging their shoulders in disbelief. Jaume Collet-Serra’s return to horror is disappointing, and a more tightly crafted screenplay could have significantly elevated its potential.
1.5/5
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Ever since my mom took me to go see The Blair Witch Project in theaters when I was 7 years old I’ve been obsessed with not just movies but the horror genre. When I’m not watching movies you can find me thrifting, attending a local horror convention, or collecting physical media. I attended the University of Central Florida with a degree in Cinema Studies and use my degree to rant about movies online.
MY FAVORITE MOVIES: The Cabin in the Woods, Cabaret, Seven Samurai, The Blair Witch Project, Inglourious Basterds