The Woman in the Yard

Director - Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan)

Starring - Danielle Deadwyler (The Harder They Fall, I Saw the TV Glow), Okwui Okpokwasili (I Am Legend, The Exorcist: Believer), and Peyton Jackson (Pet Investigators, Young Dylan)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Don't let her in"

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I tend to stay away from pop horror but they have been surprising me a lot over the last few years.  Pop horror usually misses the mark with me.  They tend to be quick cash grabs with predictable jump scares and unimaginative deaths.  However, some of my favorite horror films of recent years are pop horror flicks with movies like X, The Black Phone, The Substance, Longlegs, Sinners, and many more.  A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of the Jaume Collet-Serra's The Woman in the Yard for review.  I knew absolutely nothing about this one and usually take what Blumhouse releases with a grain of salt but I was looking forward to checking it out.  

     The film follows a disabled widow and her two kids who are struggling after the accidental death of the family patriarch.  They are struggling financially and are about to lose their farm when a stranger visits their property.  Her children soon learn that something strange occurred the night their father died and her mother had something to do with his death.  This is the reason the woman has appeared resulting in the widow revealing some dark secrets.

     I'll be honest with everyone reading this.  I was excited to see The Woman in the Yard.  I knew absolutely nothing about the film but I loved the film's artwork and title.  With that being said, it was a huge disappointment.  The characters were extremely unlikable, the story failed to find traction, and lacked any sort of atmosphere that you would expect to find in a genre title.  I don't know what this film was going for but I feel as if they missed their mark by a great deal.  The acting in this one is fairly decent.  The cast seems very comfortable in front of the camera and feed off each other very well.  However, the characters are so damn unlikable.  I'm sure that was how it was written and doesn't reflect the cast's on screen talents but these characters truly suck.  The story for this one is painfully dull.  I was hoping it would be a slow build up to a fantastic ending but I was wrong.  The film moves slowly, never catches speed and when something does happen, its predictable.  I don't know if this is based on some sort of legend or myth but if it is I would like to learn more because the film doesn't do it justice.  If anything, it might turn people away from it.  Finally, don't expect a film with a body count.  Instead, the film focuses on the character's interactions and dynamic to progress the story.  Overall, The Woman in the Yard is a huge disappointment.  It lacks story, relatable characters, and the lack of atmosphere and tension makes it feel like a lackluster drama.  This is one I would recommend skipping.