by Scott Batchelor, Contributing Writer
The Woman in the Yard is a slow-burn supernatural thriller that teases something fresh, but ultimately settles into familiar ghost story territory. The premise is solid and intriguing, but the buildup loses momentum, becoming something less impactful. Are the moments of genuine unease, and the solid performances, enough to make up for a shoddy ending? Just barely.
We start with Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) watching an old video on her phone. The age of the video is clear, because it shows her deceased husband David (Russell Hornsby). This sets the stage for the theme of overcoming trauma. In the short clip, David talks about all the renovations they’ll make before their new house is perfect, intercut with shots of the house still in shambles. Ramona is also working with just one leg, the other stuck in a gnarly cast. On top of that, she’s trying to take care of her teenage son Taylor (Peyton Jackson) and elementary-aged daughter Annie (Estella Kahiha). The last thing this family needs is a creepy, shrouded woman standing in their yard.
Taylor is struggling to be the man of the house, trying to take on more responsibility, but he keeps getting shut down. Annie is reading The Big Bad Wolf, which surely means something. To really set the stage, the power goes out, and no one’s phone was charging overnight. The dog starts barking, and then the woman in the yard makes her grand entrance, appearing suddenly off-screen. Ramona goes to investigate, and is met with cryptic messages. The woman ominously says, “Today’s the day,” before showing her blood-soaked hands. The symbolism is not subtle. Ramona lies to the kids about the encounter, but Taylor doesn’t buy it. He clocks her immediately.
From there, the tension builds through shadowy imagery, unsettling visions, and the woman in the yard getting closer when no one is paying attention. Some of the eerie moments work, with clever scares and a few funny lines, but there are stretches where it feels like we’re just killing time. But just as the pacing starts to drag, the movie jolts back to life when Ramona begins seeing visions of herself harming her children. This is the first real sign that the horror might be psychological rather than supernatural.
Unfortunately, the film doesn’t trust the audience to piece things together. Toward the end of the rising action, there’s a clunky exposition dump spelling out what was already obvious. The movie treats certain revelations as shocking, but they don’t change anything. The themes remain the same, and there’s no new perspective on the allegory. With everything spelled out, the story pivots from a grounded supernatural thriller to a full-on ghost story. The slow buildup and eerie atmosphere are effective, but when the final twist lands, it’s somehow less interesting than the ideas teased earlier.
The Woman in the Yard‘s climax is trippy, but it doesn’t lead anywhere meaningful. The film hints it might be going in a different direction a few times, but it never fully commits. By the end, the allegory is clear, and while it’s not poorly executed, it doesn’t feel particularly fresh.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
The Woman in the Yard is currently playing in theaters
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