The Wasteland Reviewer

The Women in the Yard (2025) Written Review

Who is ready for another new horror film that challenges allegory while delivering some disturbing horror elements? Modern horror is an interesting landscape with a nice range of films. You have slasher flicks, torture porn, pulpy horror flick, elevated horror, and plenty of supernatural horror. Many of these subgenres sit perfectly in the realm of nostalgia for the 80s and 90s. But when you look at Blumhouse’s latest film, The Woman in the Yard, you feel that elevated horror trend that channels eerie and unnerving horror elements to explore deeply resonant and relatable elements of the human condition. 

How does director Jaume Collet-Serra breathe life into The Woman in the Yard? Collet-Serra has a career’s worth of example of delivering some flashy and creative directorial efforts even if the films are lacking in other areas. The direction is certainly one of the standout elements of The Woman in the Yard. The visage of a woman draped in black garments sitting on the front lawn is evocative for sure. The way the shadow of this woman engages in the world around our characters is such a fun and creative element in the film. The way Collet-Serra leverages shadow for scary moments is creative and visceral. The rising tension is fantastic as well with the film rarely lifting its foot off the gas. This film is under 90 minutes and has such a propulsive pace. There are a few sequences in the film that lack narrative or thematic purpose, but you can tell they wanted to squeeze them in for more unnerving moments. 

But does the screenplay live up to the simple premise and sharp direction? This is where the film struggles for sure. The Woman in the Yard is a film that just gives off that “short film” vibe. There is not enough narratively here to stretch this out to almost 90 minutes. There is a lean short film somewhere in here that would have delivered the same impact but more effectively. There are some narrative elements that work well for the film including a flashback that delivers some emotional weight and context for a big twist in the story. But the allegory for what this titular woman represents certainly hits a meaningful human experience but something that has been frequently explored in horror as of late. The dynamic between the mother and her children is a little too simplified and that is the biggest challenge of the film…it is shallower than the themes really deserve. 

Does the cast deliver and breathe some emotional weight into the film? Danielle Deadwyler continues the great tradition of excellent performances by women that elevate their film. There is an emotional weight and intensity that Deadwyler can deliver in this film. She is the focus of the film and the haunting and she anchors down the film. The way she portrays this tortured and shaken mother who is on the verge is unnerving and quite scary. The young actors, Peyton Jackson and Estella Kahiha, do a good job to deliver on the fear and emotion of the situation. Okwui Okpokwasili is the titular woman and does not get a lot of chances to shine but as the film moves towards the climax, she gets to show off some intensity and presence. Throw Russell Hornsby with his veteran presence into the mix and you have a strong cast from top to bottom. 

Does The Woman in the Yard deliver an impactful and poignant cinematic experience? The horror elements of the film as well as the visuals deliver consistently throughout this lean runtime. The pacing never lets up and the film still moves even when the story is feeling thin. The emotional impact of the film will sit with you as this does not shy away from serious thematic elements and challenging moments. Deadwyler anchors this all down and you have a rock-solid elevated horror effort.