[8]

A man captures a feral woman and chains her up in his cellar, calling upon his wife and kids to help him ‘civilize’ her. The Woman makes bold play of gender dynamics that will leave some viewers crying ‘misogyny’, ‘misandry’, or both — but I applaud writer/director Lucky McKee (May, The Woods) for his provocative exploration of the material. The film features outstanding performances from Sean Bridgers as the disarming but volatile father figure, Angela Bettis as his beleaguered wife, and Pollyanna McIntosh in the namesake role. Didn’t care so much for the soundtrack, but it’s a minor gripe in a film I already liked well before the third act had me sitting on the edge of my seat in giddy anticipation. It’s one of those films where the more outrageous it gets, the more perfect it becomes. The ending is exquisite. Definitely one of the better horror films of recent years.