A Mulher no Jardim

Jaume Collet-Serra may not be a perfect director but I have enjoyed his fun popcorn flicks like The Shallows, The Commuter and underrated horror Orphan. While it's messy script and structure does suffer from uneven directions and tone, it's interesting concept and solid thrills offer a good fun horror movie.

Placed with some interesting themes and good camerawork, the slow-burn tension and atmosphere does offer some good build up throughout. Including sound designs and colors used throughout. I do wish the writing does explore some different territories and ways, especially it's third act being pretty rough. Undoubtably, the concept was pretty interesting. Once again, Danielle Deadwyler shines with a strong performance and keeps the characters somewhat interesting, even if it doesn't always work.

For 87 minutes, the movie does feel as if it would work as a short film or a short episode. But as a whole, it's a decent horror flick.

Director Jaume Collet-Serra, ventures into the realm of psychological horror with The Women in the Yard, and the result is a thought-provoking experience. Anchored by a powerful performance from Danielle Deadwyler, the film burrows under the skin, exploring the insidious nature of grief, guilt, and the darkest corners of the human psyche.

Deadwyler portrays Ramona with a raw intensity. She is a woman fractured by loss and the weight of a terrible secret. Her physical disability, a constant reminder of the fatal car accident, mirrors her emotional paralysis. The arrival of the enigmatic Woman, played with an unsettling stillness by Okwui Okpokwasili, throws Ramona's already fragile world into chilling disarray. Okpokwasili's presence is a masterclass in understated horror; her veiled face and pronouncements of "Today's the day" create an atmosphere of relentless dread.

Collet-Serra expertly crafts a sense of claustrophobia within the confines of the isolated farmhouse. The cinematography, often bathed in stark daylight that somehow feels more menacing than darkness, amplifies the feeling of being exposed and vulnerable. The unsettling sound design further contributes to the creeping unease, making the ordinary seem sinister.

However, The Women in the Yard transcends mere jump scares, delving into profound and disturbing themes. The film cleverly uses the supernatural to externalize Ramona's internal torment. Saying anything further at this point, drifts us into spoiler territory.

The revelation of the Woman's true nature is a chilling twist that reframes the entire film. It forces the audience to reconsider every interaction and realize the battle Ramona is fighting. The ending, unsettling and leaves a lingering sense of unease.

While some may find the pacing deliberate and the horror more psychological than visceral, The Women in the Yard is a compelling and disturbing. It's a film that stays with you long after the credits roll, prompting reflection on the shadows we carry within ourselves.

Blumhouse CAN be good or decent, but this is yet another one that makes me feel like they put meticulous research into finding out what are the most critically panned and disliked ingredients of their catalogue & then make new films out of them.

Sure, it's a competent enough film with one or two potentially compelling albeit overused themes, but it's also tiring, uninspired, tedious, flat, predictable, lukewarm & ultimately pointless and empty feeling.

It's rare for a movie that's under 90 minutes long to feel this very stretched out, and it's a damn shame that such weak scripts get greenlit with casts & crews that are too good for it.

The worst Jaume Collet-Serra flick, can only compete with "Black Adam" maybe.

3 out of 5 stars.

The Woman in the Yard is a fair psychological horror film that has a creepy concept but as the story goes on it loses its steam.

Pros:

The plot is okay. About a family going through grief and living at a farm house. Until a creepy lady all in black sits out in the yard. And gets closer and closer with creepy messages.

It has a great cast ensemble and great performances.

The direction can be creepy as the lady gets closer and going after the family by the shadows.

Cons:

The film does lack scared, jump scares, or any thrills. I feel like the direction missed out on that opportunity.

As the plot starts unraveling during the climax, the real horror loses itself. Also making it difficult to even care for the film without going into spoiler territory. The climax and ending was a little disappointing.

Overall, it is an okay film that starts out great but falls apart too quickly as it gets to the end.

A slow-burning psychological horror that lingers in the mind long after it ends. I've been a fan of Jaume Collet-Serra's horror movies (Orphan and House of Wax) for a while, mostly for the their over-the-top scares. Here he crafts a quiet, creeping dread as Ramona (the fantastic Danielle Deadwyler), grieving her husband's death and immobilized by a broken leg, watches an ominous woman inch closer to her isolated farmhouse. Subtle visual storytelling replaces exposition, with deep-focus shots and eerie sound design immersing us in Ramona's unraveling psyche. The film methodically builds tension through whispered horror before plunging into full-blown terror in its final act, recontextualizing everything with a surreal climax. Not every theme fully locks into place, but its haunting atmosphere and layered symbolism make it a compelling, rewatchable experience I didn't expect from this studio.

6.5/10.