THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (2025)

 

Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra  

Written By: Sam Stefanak 

Cinematography: Pawel Pogorzelski 

Editor: Timothy Alverson and Krisztian Majdik 

Cast: Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokeasili, Peyton Jackson, Estella Kahiha, Russell Hornsby 

A mysterious woman repeatedly appears in a family's front yard, often delivering chilling warnings and unsettling messages, leaving them to question her identity, motives and the potential danger she might pose.

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Didn’t necessarily have the highest of hopes for this film Going in. 

An african American cast in a horror film that ultimately is bleak and all about trauma. 

That feels like it would be a good starter horror film for those not accustomed to horror films. Even though it’s More a haunting or haunted story then out and out full horror with plenty of jump scares and the like. That ultimately ends up becoming more of a drama 

It feels more like a family drama that has horror or a l supernatural elements that makes it feel a bit like folklore that fits better into that form Of multilayered storytelling.

The reason it feels more like it would be for families is that it seems to follow a trend lately where African American starring horror films involve children more and more (THE BLACK GIRL AND HER  MONSTER practically spells it out. NEVER LET GO  with Halle Berry 

Jaume Collet-Serra (ORPHAN) knows how to direct and make a movie. Not always the most deepest of storytellers. This seems like the richest material he has worked with. Even as he seems to go for mood. His filmmaking goes for flashy and visuals. Though here he tries drama a bit more and the actors are up for it. Especially the versatile lead Danielle Deadwyler 

The woman played by Okwui Okpokeasili is an interesting original she moves in the shadows and becomes more scary the more we see her physically after making more of a mysterious impression in her introduction. When she moves she only moves in the shadows.

the cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski does show It’s well shot and offers a claustrophobic mood and environment. as it uses a si gel location that it milks for all it’s worth though makes it feel bigger even in its limited environment.

Danielle Deadwyler hit it out of the park as usual with her performance. 

The negative aspects of this film grief, depression, guilt and suicide idealization. Seems to only become available in stories of family trauma and the only time it seems that African American or people of color at times really get to show any range when it comes to acting roles that allow them to be three dimensional characters 

The ending leaves it up to the audience to interpret whether you want to see it as a positive happy ending or a negative one that fulfills what it has been leading up to. In other words it won’t spell it out for you. Whether that is a cop out or artistic choice will depend on your enjoyment of the film. 

Can’t say it’s all that original. Though it makes the most with as little as it might have. Though was hoping it was better then how it looked in the trailers. 

Not the most exciting Film but entertaining enough and under 90 minutes. Only wish it had more to it overall. As it needs the running time to flesh out the whole tale. Yet it feels more like a short story. 

In the end it becomes more of a psychological thriller. With metaphors of guilt, suppression and your pain becoming more of a figure to haunt and torture you. So that it’s a little deeper then it presents itself as.  

Even the ending isn’t cut and dry and leaves you to make your own decision as to what happened and how you see it. 

Grade: C