The Dismal Ending Of Blumhouse’s ‘The Woman In The Yard’ Isn’t Pleasing Some Horror Fans
Blumhouse’s latest release, The Woman in the Yard, is flying below the radar at theaters in part because it’s not striking the right chord with horror fans. Like Night Swim, a lot of critics think the thriller would work better as a short film since almost nothing happens for its duration. It’s being called predictable, plodding, and disappointing, but oddly enough, that’s the least of the film’s problems.
Critical reception of the ending is creeping out from those unafraid of giving away spoilers, and their take is, in the worst way, very critical. That’s putting it mildly when it comes to the review by YouTuber and horror film critic Cody Leach, who was left quite displeased by the finale’s major implication. We’re heading into spoiler territory from here, so if you’d rather not know, stop reading now. The rest of you, buckle up.
The Woman in the Yard deals with themes of loss, grief, and the supernatural. It also has an overtone of despair that plays into the third act and leaves questions about the main character’s fate. Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) is a mother recovering from an accident that claimed the life of her husband (Russell Hornsby) and left her raising their children on her own at their farm. This rehab is interrupted by the title entity, which turns out to be a spectre of Ramona’s grief and depression.
The Woman eventually corners Ramona, and like a devil on her shoulder, urges her to end it all and orphan her already vulnerable and bereaved children. At the end, it seems as if she defies the demon and soldiers on for the sake of her family. However, throughout the story, viewers are introduced to the idea of a mirror dimension that acts as a dimension of spirit and a sort of afterlife. The final shot of the movie shows Ramona’s signature on a painting in the house, and it’s backward, indicating she is in the mirror world and went through with killing herself.
Cody Leach saw The Woman in the Yard on a lark without any expectation except it might be another bad Blumhouse release, but by the time he finished it, in his words, he was “pissed off” at the ending. Moreover, no Blumhouse movie has ever evoked rage and distaste in him like this one did, and his visceral reaction is all down to that ending and its implications. “I was physically pissed off and my stomach was in knots walking out of the theater,” Leach testified in his review.
When the reason the veiled woman is appearing is made clear, that she is there to motivate Ramona “to pull the trigger,” Leach’s feelings about the film were solidified. He calls its exploration of grief and death “gross” to sit through and “mind-blowingly irresponsible” when there could be audience members who deal with chronic depression and suicidal ideation. This movie conveys, Leach says, that it’s okay to abandon your children and end it all when taking into account the interactions between Ramona and The Woman and that final shot.
“I absolutely hated the way The Woman in the Yard wrapped up, and it made me hate the entire movie,” Leach said. Some comments on his video agree and thank him for the heads-up. Others, including one from a psychologist, can tolerate the ending as a realistic portrayal of depression and intrusive thoughts. While Leach can understand appreciation for a horror film going as far as this one to punch audiences in the gut, he can’t endorse a film that ends that bleakly as a father who grew up with an absent mother.
His video blew up and sparked a discussion that submits the possibility that the ending was more ambiguous as there might be another reason for the backward-looking name. However, it doesn’t lessen the impact of a bleak tone with the potential to trigger something in some people who might see it.
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