Review by The Headless Critic

The Woman – 2009



The Woman is an excellent adaptation of a Jack Ketchum novel. If any horror fans don’t know Jack Ketchum he’s a wonderful writer with many horror novels and shorts. Three highly recommended horror movie transitions of Ketchum’s books include 2007’s Girl Next Door, 2009’s Offspring and this follow-up spinoff sequel The Woman. If anything garners my attention more than seeing Ketchum’s name attached to a film it’s seeing director Lucky McKee on the title as well. McKee helmed 2002’s May, the “Ding Dong” segment of Tales of Halloween and three Jack Ketchum adaptations.

The Woman follows Offspring’s lead villainess played by Pollyanna McIntosh as she’s captured by “family man” Chris Cleek (Sean Bridgers). Chris’s subservient wife Belle (Angela Bettis ‘ May’) isn’t happy with his decision to civilize a naked, wild woman in the family cellar. His wife, nor his children will stop this misogynistic lawyer from sadistically keeping and torturing his captive. As this dysfunctional family falls apart, the day of The Woman will rise.

With a small cult following of horror faithful, The Woman has a bit more fame than the original. The cheese factor may have risen a notch for this sequel but the brutality of the original is still there. Both movies play right into my preferred horror genre of realistic or at least plausible, horror. This is one of the few sequels I’ve found better that it’s predecessor. While you absolutely don’t have to watch Offspring to enjoy this film, why not? They’re both good horror.

4 out of 5 Headless Critics