The Unborn

2009

The Unborn

Critics Consensus

David Goyer's Unborn is a tame genre effort with cheap thrills and scares that border on silliness.

10%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 119

30%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 831,823
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Movie Info

Casey Beldon hated her mother for leaving her as a child. But when inexplicable things start to happen, Casey begins to understand why she left. Plagued by merciless dreams and a tortured ghost that haunts her waking hours, she must turn to the only spiritual advisor, Sendak, who can make it stop. With Sendak's help, Casey uncovers the source of a family curse dating back to Nazi Germany--a creature with the ability to inhabit anyone or anything that is getting stronger with each possession. With the curse unleashed, her only chance at survival is to shut a doorway from beyond our world that has been pried open by someone who was never born.
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and terror, disturbing images, thematic material and language including some sexual references)
  • Genre:
    Horror, Mystery & Suspense
  • Directed By:
    David S. Goyer
  • Written By:
    David S. Goyer
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Box Office:
    $42,638,165
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Rogue Pictures

Cast

Odette Annable
as Casey Beldon
Gary Oldman
as Rabbi Sendak
Cam Gigandet
as Mark
Meagan Good
as Romy
Jane Alexander
as Sofi Kozma
Idris Elba
as Arthur Wyndham
Rhys Coiro
as Mr.Shields
Carla Gugino
as Janet Beldon
James Remar
as Gordon Beldon
Aiden David
as Newton Baby #1
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Critic Reviews for The Unborn

All Critics (119) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (107)

  • [An] exuberantly creepy mash-up of Jewish folklore, J-horror atmospherics, and demonic possession boilerplate.

    Jan 5, 2010 | Full Review…

    Cliff Doerksen

    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic

  • Cue a creepy toddler, various demonically possessed adults and a Jewish exorcism conducted by Gary Oldman. He's a vastly better actor than the film deserves, but he can't make the script seem even slightly better than it is.

    Mar 6, 2009 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

    Edward Porter

    Times (UK)
    Top Critic

  • David S Goyer's non-kosher riff on 'The Exorcist' is stillborn,

    Feb 27, 2009 | Rating: 1/6 | Full Review…

    Nigel Floyd

    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • A scary movie so fantastically stupid and crass it made my skull contract and my sinuses harden to the consistency of pipe-cleaners.

    Feb 27, 2009 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian
    Top Critic

  • The Unborn becomes rapidly tedious even as the body count racks up.

    Feb 27, 2009

    Jonathan Crocker

    Little White Lies
    Top Critic

  • It's hard to imagine a more ham-fisted attempt at the genre of 'womb horror' than this flat-footed supernatural drama with a Jewish twist.

    Feb 27, 2009 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Wendy Ide

    Times (UK)
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (119)

Audience Reviews for The Unborn

  • Nov 27, 2015
    Written and directed by David Goyer, The Unborn is a dull and morose supernatural thriller. The story follows a college student named Casey Beldon who begins to have strange visions and comes to believe that she's being stalked by a malicious spirit. Lead actress Odette Yustman has no charisma and gives a completely lifeless performance. And, the script is poorly written and is hard to follow (despite numerous exposition dumps). Additionally, the imagery, while disturbing at times, isn't altogether that scary. Uninspired tripe, The Unborn is a monotonous and poorly made film.
    Dann M Super Reviewer
  • Apr 16, 2013
    Pretty good. Scary, and interesting, especially because it explores an unfamiliar topic. Having Gary Oldman in this film was a great idea by the way, 'cause he's pretty awesome here.
    Stephen S Super Reviewer
  • Nov 25, 2012
    Not as bad as I thought, Wasn't scary, The plot was same old same old, But had something about it that kept me entertained.
    Jamie C Super Reviewer
  • Jun 10, 2012
    david goyer should stop directing from he's own writing because he has yet to score a bona fid hit. special effects rob the film of any real menace and the cast full of great actors are wasted in minor roles.
    Brendan N Super Reviewer
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