LuckyWillThe Unborn – A Rebirth for Horror
February 26th 2009 16:05
Take the Good With the Bad
There was once a time when classic horror and thriller movies didn’t rely on super enhanced digital graphics, big budget explosions or excessively gory violence. Instead they needed only the aid of some basic props, a poorly tuned string quartet (or other haunting orchestral tones) and, of course the wild imaginations of its impressionable audience. Such Directors of this golden age include Hitchcock with “Psycho” in 1968; William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” in 1973; and, of course, Spielberg’s “Jaws” in 1975. These men possessed a suspenseful awareness that could asphyxiate the viewer with fearful anticipation for hours on end; rarely producing the shocking climax until the exact moment his captive dared to draw breath. Only then would they pounce on the partially relaxed muscles of their victims for maximum effect and airtime. Good times, good times.
Unfortunately recently horror flicks have focused too much on that climax and less on the vital ground work required to justify it, the suspense. This has meant that instead of cowering in our seats and peering through parted fingers, waiting to jump with fright as audiences did years ago, we are now simply made aware of an emerging fearful presence, cringe at the sight of it, and then forget it. Good horror should have longer lasting repercussions that extend beyond the cinema, like a large mechanical shark did years ago in scaring the summer crowds away from popular beaches.
“The Unborn” however is ironically the rebirth of this Golden Age of cinema. While it’s certainly not on par with the greats, it is definitely a step in the right direction for the genre. The recent film by David S. Goyer should not be confused with the 1916, 1991 or 2003 versions of the same name despite the common theme involving an unborn child. Incidentally the 2003 Asian film is quiet unsettling and well worth a look as it follows a very pregnant woman fighting the adult ghost of her unborn child at a hospital.
The Unborn, 2009, follows the experiences of Casey Beldon (Odette Yustman), a young girl who begins having visions of ugly children and plagues of insects as she learns about her family’s dark history and demonic relatives. As a twin in the womb, her umbilical cord strangled her unborn brother, and now seemingly he is out for revenge, or is he? It is a mystery that stretches before her lifetime and beyond that of her sibling and one she must quickly uncover before her remaining family, friends and acquaintances bear the brunt of this unholy rage.
The plot is fairly solid. Its not going to blow you away but it should give you enough of a reason to accept what’s going on and keep you guessing at the same time. There are some big jump moments early in the piece. One in particular had the entire audience well off their seats and gasping for breath, which sets the mood for the rest of the film. The director has done a great job filling every quiet, dark moment with suspense and intrigue and it’s a film that really keeps you on edge the majority of the time. Whenever a door creaks or something comes a knockin’ on the window you know there’s going to be pain and more often than not you won’t be disappointed. In parts the plot can be a little too obvious and you can guess what’s coming next, but that only serves to heighten the suspense as you wait for it to actually happen.
The creatures look fantastic and very creepy. In one particular scene when an elderly man gets down on all fours and twists his head backwards, at first it looks a little too CGI. However; once his transformation is complete, the result is actually quite terrifying and when he begins chasing a crippled woman through the long darkened corridors of a hospital, I would be surprised if I breathed at all during the remainder of the scene.
The run time on the film is only 1.5 hours which suits the story perfectly.
With Gary Oldman’s experience spearheading the acting charge and latest teen heartthrob, Mark Hardigan lending some boyish charm. Plus let’s not forget Yustman in short shorts and a singlet top (Wow!) the actors are just as interesting to watch as the monsters. That being said, the action is well timed and visually appealing, as are the scares which are guaranteed to make you jump at least once if you’re paying attention. I’m usually not a fan of horror films but for this I’ll make an exception and will definitely be sleeping with one eye open tonight.
Rating: 3.75 Twisted Daemon heads/ 5
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