By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
This is the prevailing thought that comes to mind while experiencing the frustration of this movie, invoking your inner grumpy old man. “The Woman in the Yard” is the latest horror flick from Blumhouse, and like so many of their productions, it drastically misses the mark. The storyline works so hard to be subtle and deceitful that it doesn’t notice the numerous plot holes to sprout and grow like weeds in an overwatered garden.
For Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler), waking up to face the day has become an increasing struggle. Losing her husband David (Russell Hornsby) to a tragic accident that also severely injured her leg, Ramona is forced to care for their children, Taylor (Peyton Jackson) and Annie (Estella Kahiha), alone in a rundown farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. The family quickly realizes they’re not as alone as they think they are.
Sitting in a rickety old chair in the yard outside their home is a woman (Okwui Okpokwasili) clad in black from head to toe. After a strange confrontation and dire warning, Ramona is rattled and unsure of how to deal with this potential threat. When the woman reveals a supernatural power to manipulate the shadows to impact physical objects around her, the terrified family desperately seeks a way to escape the malevolent force.
Born in Spain, Jaume Collet-Serra moved to Hollywood at a young age to develop his filmmaking craft, and he’s directed a wide range of films from the horror genre like “Orphan” to family adventures like “Jungle Cruise.” His experience has not always yielded success like his first film “House of Wax” in 2005 and now “The Woman in the Yard.” His ego comes into play as he tries to outsmart everyone, including his audience, overlooking important details in the process that shoot holes in this premise.
Jaume coyly sets the film up to be a typical supernatural horror only to pull the rug out from under the audience, pivoting it to more of a psychological horror. He deceives his viewers by incorporating disturbing scenes only to undo them completely as figments of imagination. This effectively breaks trust with his audience, disallowing the ability to understand what is actually happening. Even though Jaume smartly uses mental illness, depression, guilt, and grief to show the evolution of this story, he fails to justify or explain the number of inevitable questions that arise from this transition. There’s not even a trace of context or backstory for this strangely powered woman. This leads to an unsatisfactory conclusion that people will walk away frustrated by the nonsensical plot. It’s the type of project where the creator makes it more for himself than for others and could care less if anyone else gets it.
Despite the silly visuals of shadow puppets wreaking havoc and terrifying the small family, the Spanish director does incorporate solid cinematography. He creatively uses panning camera movements to help tell the story and create a creepy mood rather than rely on the clunky dialogue. Jaume accompanies a musical score that compliments the professional camera work and sets the ominous tone. This helps mitigate at least some of the many issues.
The brightest part of this movie is the complex dynamic performance from Danielle Deadwyler. This is an outstandingly talented actress who should have won an Oscar for her emotionally charged performance in 2022’s “Till,” or at the very least been nominated. She has the rare, uncanny ability to speak volumes without verbally uttering a single word. Her subtle facial reactions and eyes allow audiences to peer directly into her soul, allowing for a deeper understanding and connection with her character. Even though this script is flawed, Danielle gives it her all, believably portraying a struggling mother overwhelmed by her responsibilities while dealing with crippling grief. It’s the kind of performance that deserves better, and she certainly receives no help from her child co-stars, who couldn’t deliver their lines with any kind of emotion behind them.
Questionable, off-putting morals and messaging at its core instill an irritating itch that never gets scratched. Close the door on “The Woman in the Yard,” because it is not only an unwanted guest, but also an unwanted movie that tries too hard to intellectually stimulate, digging up severe plot holes in its wake. A remarkable performance from Deadwyler is not enough to counteract the annoying frustrations.
This movie earns:
