‘The Woman in the Yard’ Review: Danielle Deadwyler in a Farmhouse Horror Movie That Just Sits There

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Modern horror films often prioritize shocking the audience through jump scares and intricate demonic entities, making it uncommon to find a truly dull one. However, “The Woman in the Yard” almost achieves this feat. It’s reminiscent of a haunted house movie without any hidden elements or surprises.

The story begins by introducing Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler), who’s lying in bed, watching a video on her phone of her husband, David (Russell Hornsby), describing a dream about their finished farmhouse. However, the situation is far from ideal. David is missing, and as a gloomy Ramona reluctantly gets up, she appears to be on the brink of despair. We notice that she’s wearing a cast along her broken leg, suggesting a car accident and implying that David has passed away. The damaged car in the yard adds to the peculiarity of the scene.

In her downstairs living area, Ramona struggles to find the strength to engage with her children – the rebellious teen Tay (Peyton Jackson) and the energetic school-aged Annie (Estella Kahihi). The breakfast Tay has prepared, a peculiar mix of eggs and Doritos, doesn’t exactly entice her. However, she’s unable to summon the energy; she’s emotionally drained, even neglecting to call the electric company when the power fails. While depression could potentially serve as a chilling theme for a horror movie, “The Woman in the Yard” unfortunately starts off with a slow, labored pace, revealing too much yet lacking engaging content.

Finally, the title character of the movie emerges. She’s a spectral figure wrapped in flowing black fabric (resembling a mourning beekeeper), seated approximately 100 feet from the house on an ornate cast-iron chair, with only her hands visible, peacefully folded like the Mona Lisa’s. It’s amusing that both children, upon seeing this enigmatic figure, label her as a “woman.” At that moment, it’s hard to distinguish her true nature.

Ramona steps outside to converse with a woman in the yard, who turns out to be Okwui Okpokwasili, a Nigerian-American actress, dancer, and artist known for her resemblance to Grace Jones’ imperious stare. This woman responds to Ramona in a chilling politeness that hints at a mysterious connection between them. She’s not your typical movie villain lurking in the shadows. Instead, she seems to possess an uncanny knowledge about Ramona, suggesting she might be a harbinger of destiny. For a considerable period, she remains motionless, adding a touch of irony since she appears to symbolize the film’s stagnation.

I don’t have an issue with a horror film that relies more on subtle hints instead of the straightforward, graphic elements common in mainstream horror. However, “The Woman in the Yard” seems to be just as unoriginal and predictable as many other movies in the genre. It may move slower and use fewer special effects, but it still falls short. A scene where the woman enters the house and a paranormal event occurs, causing chaos for about two minutes, stands out significantly from the rest of the film, making it feel like someone said, “We need to make this more like ‘Poltergeist’!

In simpler terms, the movie “The Woman in the Yard,” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (known for the cult film “Orphan”), doesn’t create much suspense or fear, and the script by Sam Stefanak is just a basic reinterpretation of “The Shining.” The story revolves around a family of three who find themselves in a house facing typical problems. Danielle Deadwyler, an accomplished actress, portrays her character, but her performance lacks variety as she appears to be stuck in a cycle of misery. Unfortunately, the movie fails to conjure up any truly terrifying or even startling moments. It’s essentially a story about repetitive internal struggles, focusing on a single type of psychological torment.

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2025-03-28 00:46