O Bebê Maldito

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.

The Unborn is a very, very different film. James Karen & Brooke Adams are in the film and they performed quite well. this film is builds up solidly and it keeps you going. Though I think you must be a horror fan to watch this because of the scenes and the plot. There is one brief sex scene with no nudity that could have been left out and to some people this scene may disappoint someone like Me that's into the film and thinks that stuff ruins a good film but that's it when it comes to that. There is a scene where Adams' character goes nuts and kills a cat but you can tell its not real. The music is very different but very good. The Unborn in My opinion is a really creepy film that's superbly unpredictable and that's quite strange! I recommend all horror fans to this movie!

The Unborn is a pretty good low-budget horror movie exploiting the fears associated with pregnancy. It's very well acted by the always-good Brooke Adams and b-movie stalwart James Karen, although the supporting cast is pretty average for a b-grader. The music, by Gary Numan of all people, is good too. Henry Dominic's script is quite intelligent for this sort of thing, although there is a hint of misogyny about it. Rodman Fender's direction is merely adequate, and there are some unnecessary cheap scares. If you're a fan of Adams, whose movie career is nowhere near as illustrious as it should be, check it out; she's great, as always.

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...

The unfertile Virginia (Brooke Adams) and her husband, Brad Marshall (Jeff Hayenga), decide to join an experimental in-vitro fertilization program developed by Dr. Richard Meyerling (James Karen). The trial succeeds, but along the pregnancy, Virginia finds that something weird is happening with the fetus.

"The Unborn" is a very reasonable low-budget horror movie. Bizarre in some moments, grotesque in others, and dark as a whole, this movie has a very strong and disturbing scene, when a pregnant woman stabs herself in the belly. Therefore, it is certainly not recommended to pregnant women watch this film. I do not agree with the comparison with the masterpiece "Rosemary's Baby", since the stories are totally different, having in common only the pregnancy of something weird. I found this movie a good entertainment. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "O Bebê Maldito" ("The Damned Baby")