Some genre movies evolve and transform over time, while others, like Jaume Collet-Serra’s The Woman in the Yard, appear to metastasize. What starts as a streamlined, albeit slightly unbalanced, modern folk horror narrative soon expands into a convoluted mix of several distinct film styles, awkwardly fused together, leading to a finale that is perplexingly distasteful. This film’s trajectory raises questions about coherence and narrative integrity, as it juggles multiple concepts without fully committing to any of them.

Interestingly, the film’s visual presentation could have made its uneven storytelling easier to digest. The stunning visuals of The Woman in the Yard serve a uniquely-executed concept that emerges midway through, making its waste all the more disappointing. Collet-Serra’s exceptional use of light and shadow is often breathtaking, suggesting that with a more cohesive narrative to accompany these aesthetic flourishes, the film could have achieved the status of a contemporary horror classic. However, the disconnect between visual artistry and narrative execution leaves much to be desired.

What we are ultimately presented with is a skillfully acted family drama that is awkwardly positioned among numerous horror concepts reminiscent of The Cabin in the Woods. However, the key distinction here is that Sam Stefanak’s script opts for a straightforward narrative approach rather than a satirical take, resulting in a series of disorienting disconnections that leave viewers puzzled and questioning the film’s intentions.

Unpacking the Themes and Narrative of The Woman in the Yard

At its essence, The Woman in the Yard explores the profound theme of grief — but before you dismiss this notion, allow me to elaborate. The film does not mask this central theme or present it in an abstract manner typical of “prestige” horror. Instead, it lays it bare in its opening sequences. The story follows recent widow Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler), who awakens in a daze in her rural Georgia home, struggling with her injuries from a car accident that claimed her husband’s life. Her financial difficulties are palpable, as the power has been cut to her isolated farmhouse, and her children, teenage son Taylor (Peyton Jackson) and young daughter Annie (Estella Kahiha), do their best to support her, even if that means concocting bizarre meals from the limited resources available.

The family grapples with their new reality while dealing with the glaring absence of patriarch David (Russell Hornsby), whose charming and ambitious personality we come to know through flashbacks and the videos Ramona watches with a sense of mourning. Collet-Serra’s direction shines in these serene domestic moments, where an empty chair at the dining table symbolizes their profound loss, a burden that weighs heavily on Ramona but seems less pronounced for her children.

As Ramona navigates her daily life, her focus begins to falter. Suddenly, a woman in a black veil (Okwui Okpokwasili) appears in an ornate chair at the edge of her front yard. This mysterious figure transcends mere thematic representation, embodying a unique horror premise that is distinct from the family’s struggle with grief. Stranded with dead phones and miles from help, Ramona and her children face a chilling dilemma: should they confront this enigmatic stranger or simply ignore her existence?

Eventually, Ramona gathers the courage to step outside and make contact, marking the beginning of an eerie turn of events — some of which align with the film’s overall setup, while others veer into unsettling territory.

Delving Deeper: The Complex Narrative of The Woman in the Yard

Credit: Universal Pictures

Daytime rarely serves as a backdrop for effective horror, and in The Woman in the Yard, the spine-chilling events only begin to unfold in the late afternoon. It is during this time that the mysterious figure begins casting elongated shadows that creep closer to the house. Collet-Serra, in collaboration with cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski (renowned for his work with Ari Aster), transforms the surroundings of Ramona’s home into a visual playground, where light and darkness interact in both unexpected and chilling ways. Sometimes, shadows signify an impending threat, while at other moments they seem to carry weight, affecting the physical realm, creating an atmosphere that is both eerie and captivating.

However, the subtle horror emanating from the woman’s somber presence becomes overshadowed by a rapid influx of additional concepts and gimmicks that overwhelm the narrative. The woman should not need to symbolize anything to be a formidable presence, yet she oscillates between various roles — from an ominous figure to an all-knowing oracle, from a child kidnapper to a grotesque reminder of the past — depending on the moment’s demands. This inconsistency ultimately detracts from the film’s core message and creates confusion rather than tension.

Initially, her presence serves to create rifts among the surviving family members, compelling them to confront the lies and half-truths surrounding David’s death. However, the film soon wades into poorly defined metaphysical horrors that bear little relevance to the established premise. As it progresses, The Woman in the Yard flirts with themes of possession, alternate realities, and an unfortunate metaphor relating to mental health, all of which unfold in rather gruesome manners that feel disjointed.

How The Woman in the Yard Struggles to Maintain Its Coherence

Credit: Daniel Delgado Jr. / Universal Pictures

Typically, a standout performance in a film can redeem a faltering narrative, and while Deadwyler delivers a commendable portrayal of a mother striving to keep her family intact in the face of tragedy, it is not enough to salvage the film’s erratic pacing. Okpokwasili’s portrayal as a formidable presence is commendable, and newcomer Jackson provides a refreshing performance as a boy grappling with his emerging role as the man of the house, despite much of his dialogue being spent rationalizing why the family cannot simply leave or call for help. Yet, no amount of strong acting can rectify the film’s tumultuous and unpredictable trajectory.

The Woman in the Yard creates significant narrative whiplash with each question it attempts to answer, yet none of the conclusions prove satisfying. Just as it establishes the mechanics of its ghostly antagonist — for instance, her manipulation of shadows — another inexplicable threat emerges, leading to a series of disjointed chase scenes where tension remains elusive. Neither the family nor the audience can grasp the nature of the threat they face, resulting in confusion rather than suspense.

Initially, the woman symbolizes death in an abstract sense, a specter that looms over the narrative. However, as the film reaches its climax — replete with several questionable twists — her representation evolves into something profoundly morose, though not in a way that the narrative lays the groundwork for. With an avalanche of concepts thrown at the audience, the film culminates in baffling moments that Collet-Serra fails to navigate with the necessary care. While horror often embodies one’s deepest fears, The Woman in the Yard treads dangerously close to trivializing genuine tragedy and pain.

Moreover, deciphering the film’s conclusion requires piecing together numerous minor clues that seem to originate from entirely different narratives. The Woman in the Yard presents these elements too hastily and carelessly, leaving most viewers with the impression of an open-ended conclusion, even if that was not the intended outcome.

The existence of a film like this, in such a bewildering form, remains an enigma in itself — one that is far more captivating than the final product on screen.

The Woman in the Yard is currently showing in theaters.