It is almost impossible to make a movie cheesy on purpose. Some may misconstrue the use of cheesy for a so bad its good experience, but this is not the case. Cheesy films are a rare breed where the director or the production team had one idea for the production, but the result was something very different, the most common are horror movies resulting in comedy. Many of these films are horrors from the 50s where through age, the acting and production quality comes off as comical and not scary. The Unborn is the first movie in a long time, as far as I can remember, that is clearly a horror movie, but through some artistic choices become incredibly comical and walks the fine line of spooky and funny.

What was suppose to be an easy day for Tiffany, the last day of guarding a decrepit building set for demolition, has become all the more difficult after receiving her first ultrasound. Dealing with the stress of her pregnancy and gathering the courage to tell her boyfriend who doesn’t want children, she hopes this will be a quick and quiet night. Unfortunately, this is no ordinary abandoned building, and her and her team of guards soon realized there have been some residents who refuse to leave.

If you have ever read a Goosebumps book or watch the television series, it is clear that they are mostly “diet” horror for children, and have a tongue in cheek quality, balancing fun and scares. All be it from a few surprising gory moments, The Unborn could have easily been a PG13 experience in the best ways. This film, whether intentional or not, walks the line of fun and spooky in a way perfect for teens and adults to enjoy.

However, one thing teens wouldn’t catch as much, but adults have a keen eye for, is sloppy editing and camera coverage. Now, this isn’t an issue in the first 30 minutes but becomes very obvious in the third act. It starts with just a few moments where it feels like the character wasn’t standing where they were a second ago and gets as bad as a main character just suddenly being dead with only a hint of what happened. This combined with a weak plot point about the building’s power system doesn’t make the film awful but certainly pulls the audience out of the more funny moments.

In the end, the most that can be said about The Unborn is that it is genuinely fun. While the more sloppy moments do take away from the experience, I found myself smiling and actually taken back by some of the more spooky moments. This is clearly a movie with a vision and a team that cared about making it, but somewhere some wires got crossed in the tone. It is the kind of movie that you could show your friends or teens who aren’t big fans of horror and they would find some enjoyment in the more silly moments and the dramatic comedic acting. Just remember to shield their eyes when the finger scene comes up.

7 out of 10

 

The Unborn
RATING: UR
Runtime: 1 hr 10Mins.
Directed By:
Written By:

About the Author

A huge horror fan with a fondness for 80s slashers. Can frequently be found at southern California horror screenings and events.