‘The Woman in the Yard’ is Sadly Sillier Than Scary

At a Glance: There’s a solid family drama inside The Woman in the Yard, but it’s trapped in an undercooked and sometimes unintelligible horror movie that’s more often silly than scary.

The Woman in the Yard is a valiant attempt at telling a much-needed story about the pressures and expectations put on Black women, particularly Black mothers, through a neo-horror lens. It takes the often harmful stereotype of the “strong Black woman” and flips it on its head, daring to introduce the audience to a vulnerable and emotionally devastated single Black mother.

In a world where Black women are too often expected to power through the injustices of life without breaking a sweat, it’s important to acknowledge that this strength often comes at the cost of one’s mental health.

We’re introduced to Ramona and her two children, Taylor and Annie, more weeks after a horrible car accident led to the death of the children’s father. Ramona is emotionally devastated and unable to address the needs of her children. She’s tired, in pain, and financially strained. Then, a strange, veiled woman appears in her yard.

While the setup and emotional themes are strong, the the least interesting part of The Woman in the Yard is, well, the woman in the yard. At first, there’s a creepy mystery regarding the woman’s identity and motivations, but the more she involves herself into the family’s life, the less effective the creep factor is. The titular antagonist never feels like a true threat, and the horror sequences are underwhelming and border on the comical.

Personally, the failures of this neo-horror film seem to fall at the director’s feet. While this is the first feature for screenwriter Sam Stefanak, director Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan), has strong enough horror credentials to make up for Stefanak’s inexperience. The direction is flat, and Collet-Serra struggles to make make the Woman as scary as she needs to be for the script to succeed.

Ultimately, The Woman in the Yard will likely be as forgettable as it’s dry title, though there is a glimmer of hope that Stefanak could knock his next project out of the park – but he will need a collaborator with a stronger vision.