Horror baby

THE UNBORN is the story of Virginia Marshall (Brooke Adams) and her many, fruitless attempts to get pregnant. She and her husband go to see Dr. Meyerling (James Karen), who offers an answer to Virginia's problem. Soon thereafter, Virginia undergoes the Dr.'s procedure, and it appears to have done the trick.

Then, Virginia's friend, who also happens to be a Meyerling client, experiences a case of EHCS (Eeevil Homicidal Child Syndrome), and another patient contacts Virginia with disturbing information, causing her to suspect that something nefarious is going on. She also notices a change in her own behavior.

The next thing we know, she goes haywire, kills her cat, and wrecks her house! This scene is quite a knee-slapper! The best part of the movie comes when Virginia appears on a live, morning talk show, only to go totally berserk! Now, THAT'S entertainment!

In no time, Virginia's on the run, and her birthing class teacher (Kathy Griffin) is getting her brains knocked out with a hammer! Of course, nothing can prepare you for the "abortion aftermath / dumpster / killer baby sequence"!

Yecch!

The freakish, fetal finale is a real brain-popper as well!

Preposterous, yet somehow watchable, and permeated by an oddly flat musical score by Gary Numan, this movie adds extra cheddar to its overly dour, early 1990's horror vibe...

This is a disturbing horror film - not for all tastes and definitely not for the faint of heart! It is about a doctor who is creating superhuman foetuses without the mothers' knowledge. Unfortunately, there are extreme side-effects. "The Unborn" is much more poignantly frightening than "Rosemary's Baby" primarily because of the brilliant, sharply spooky musical score by the "Godfather of Electronica" - Gary Numan - and the very graphic, shocking, and adrenaline-releasing final moments of the film; however, poor production standards and not the greatest acting (has somewhat of a B-Movie flavour) prevent the film from becoming one of the better films of its kind (like the aforementioned). DO NOT WATCH THIS ALONE IN THE DARK! (6 out of 10)

My review was written in April 1991 after watching the film on video cassette.

Pregnancy fears make for an effective horror topic in "The Unborn", an entertaining though tasteless shocker. Film is currently in regional theatrical release and will turn on video fans.

Brroke Adams returns to the paranoid horror turf of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", portraying a young wife and author of children's books who has a history of miscarriages and turns to a mysterious doctor (James Karen) for help.

Unfortunately for her, he's your friendly neighborhood mad scientist, altering sperm (in this case from Brooke's sympathetic husband, Jef Hayenga) to create a master race of superintelligent babies who will supplant humans.

Manic-depressive Adams has a medical history that makes her suspect, so when she starts to cry wolf, beginning on a tv talk show promoting her latest tome, no one believes her. Though well along in her pregnancy, she gets an abortion (illegally), but her worries aren't over.

The fetus lives on and debuting director Rodman Flender gets good mileage out of her ambivalent findings towards the monstrous offspring. Film's open ending is quite unsettling.

With good performances, notably by Adams and Karen, the film draws in the willing viewer. The monster baby, as created by Joe Podnar, is unconvincing, but Podnar's makeup effects are suitably gruesome. Flender's one misstep is the inclusion of an unnecessary subplot ridiculing two lesians who run a nautral childbirth class that excludes men.

Slightly irrelevant and pointless, but nevertheless interesting little footnote to start off this user comment with: this movie contains a sex sequence that could have come straight out a Kama-Sutra encyclopedia. The couple makes love in a rocking chair and – believe it or not – but it's fairly elegant and passionately filmed, which is the last thing I expected to see in an obscure early 90's B-movie so kudos!

"The Unborn" revolves on the ever ongoing quest to create the perfect human being. Therefore, some sleaze doctors in an artificial insemination clinic are saddling up unsuspecting but desperately craving mothers with altered DNA that eventually grows out into evil mutant monster fetuses that communicate from within the womb. Argh, freaky! The patients, including the writer of children's books Virginia Marshall, soon begin to have strange side-effects, like a burning rash in their necks. Virginia, who has been rational and even somewhat skeptical about the whole in-vitro fertilization method since the beginning, quickly understands that this thing growing inside of her is something evil and uncontrollable and she becomes obsessed with the idea losing her baby. Of course, nobody – especially not her husband - believes her mad raving speeches about doctors trying to create a master race. Completely unexpected, "The Unborn" was a pleasant horror surprise! The film has an original and potentially very terrifying basic premise – particularly if you're a young parent yourself – and the execution is fair to very decent as well. The script contains a handful of highly imaginative little details, like for example the malignant doctor corresponding with his evil embryos through hidden messages in the specially prepared relax tapes. There are some unsettling special effects and make-up art for the horror fanatics to enjoy as well. Of course, it's fairly easy to show shocking images in a film dealing with pregnant women and unborn babies. Just one brief image of a mother with a bloodied belly and a pair of scissors in her hands looks genuinely disturbing. The monstrous fetus looks quite cheesy, but it's nevertheless a nice attempt and, besides, it's not everyday you watch a fetus attack someone with a needle.

I am an average Horror/Sci-Fi/Thriller/Creature Feature movie buff. I am 62 and have seen them all including the Asian Creature Features to the Nordic Horrors. I will give anyone their right to an opinion....but.....the rating system on many of the movies on this sight have been skewed by someone having a bad day.

Very few Horror et.al.movies make it to the Oscars. So what...those of us who are fanatics of these films have an odd sense of appreciation for the unbelievable.

The Unborn is a good movie....I like Brooke Adams....I like mad scientists...I like freaky things that squish in the night...I like house wives that are slightly nuts....I like husbands who don't have a clue....I like Lisa Kudrow (did you see her????) Those of you who want to sit back and watch a really good Sci-Fi/Horror will have fun with this one. So skip the ratings and watch the movie. (And don't forget the popcorn.)