RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / The Unborn
The Unborn

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Unborn (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
12 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:103

Fresh:12

Rotten:91

Average Rating:3.2/10

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

Australian Rating: M [See Full Rating] Horror themes and infrequent coarse language

Runtime: 88 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Australian Theatrical Release:
Feb 26, 2009 Wide

US Box Office: $42,638,165

Synopsis: Sometimes the soul of a dead person has been so tainted with evil that it is denied entrance to heaven. It must endlessly wander the borderlands between worlds, desperately searching for a new body... Sometimes the soul of a dead person has been so tainted with evil that it is denied entrance to heaven. It must endlessly wander the borderlands between worlds, desperately searching for a new body to inhabit.

And sometimes it actually succeeds.

Writer/director David Goyer (Blade: Trinity, The Invisible, Batman Begins) gives a terrifying glimpse into the life of the undead in The Unborn, a supernatural thriller that follows a young woman pulled into a world of nightmares when a demonic spirit haunts her and threatens everyone she loves.

Casey Beldon (Odette Yustman) 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 (Gary Oldman), 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. --© Rogue Pictures [More]

Starring: Odette Yustman, Gary Oldman, Meagan Good, Idris Elba

Starring: Odette Yustman, Gary Oldman, Meagan Good, Idris Elba, Cam Gigandet, James Remar, Jane Alexander

Director: David Goyer

Director: David Goyer
Screenwriter: David Goyer
Producer: Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller
Composer: Ramin Djawadi
Studio: Rogue Arts

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    I Need an Exorcism
    >
    Escaping the Exorcism Room
    >
    Jumby Wants to be Born
    >
  • Possessed
    >
    Exorcism Authorization
    >
1 - 4 of 6

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Unborn

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Some of the ideas here may seem original, if questionable, but the treatment -- by writer-director David Goyer -- is strictly conventional, with the shock moments obviously inserted at regular intervals, usually while the heroine is in her underwear.

Full Review Source: The Australian | comment Comment
03/06/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
The Australian
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The script tries hard to delve into the folklore of a dybbuk, and as it mixes this in with experiments on twins in concentration camps during WW2, the story becomes too convoluted for its own good.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
02/27/09
Andrew J. McGlinn
Andrew J. McGlinn
FILMINK (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Despite some gruesome special effects, the telling of this story is so prosaic and predictable that genuine thrills are in very short supply.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
02/27/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Odette Yustman, indeed all the cast, deserve a better fate than to be sucked into this misguided attempt at horror

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/23/09
Andrew L. Urban
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
08/19/09
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The Unborn is packed full of grisly images and effects, but its apparent attempts to be some kind of Jewish take on The Exorcist fail miserably.

Full Review Source: Filmstar Magazine | comment Comment
08/17/09
Anne Wollenberg
Anne Wollenberg
Filmstar Magazine

The best that can be said for Goyer's latest is that it's competent. How competent is a matter of debate, as is the degree to which Goyer is self-aware about the film's camp value. [Blu-ray]

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
08/12/09
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

What The Unborn represents manages to be a thousand times more disturbing than anything Goyer captured with his pen or camera

Full Review Source: Bangitout.com | comment Comment
07/28/09
Jordan Hiller
Jordan Hiller
Bangitout.com

There is a senseless scare every 5-7 minutes. Now, after one or two you start to get the giggles but after the third or fourth false scare you begin to Laugh Out Loud.

Full Review Source: CinemaBlend.com | comment Comment
07/15/09
Brian Holcomb
Brian Holcomb
CinemaBlend.com

...boasts few attributes designed to initially capture the viewer's interest...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
07/04/09
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

The Unborn is like a scary movie sentence without the necessary linking verbs. It's all genre gears and no motivational motor.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
07/01/09
Bill Gibron
Bill Gibron
PopMatters

The Unborn is a story that should have remained untold and will be forgotten by the end of the weekend.

Full Review Source: BET.com | comment Comment
06/10/09
Clay Cane
Clay Cane
BET.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Tom Meek
Tom Meek
Boston Phoenix

Full of cheap thrills that mostly consist of people popping up out of nowhere and dialogue comprised largely of theological gobbledygook.

Full Review Source: Critic's Notebook | comment Comment
03/13/09
Robert Levin
Robert Levin
Critic's Notebook

After a few initial decent scares, the corny dialogue, poor casting and cringe-worthy acting drag this movie into it’s own hell. Utter rubbish.

Full Review Source: Heart 106.2 | comment Comment
03/06/09
Simon Thompson
Simon Thompson
Heart 106.2

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.

Full Review Source: Sunday Times (UK) | comment Comment
03/06/09
Edward Porter
Edward Porter
Sunday Times (UK)

This foolish film hitches an easy ride from the Holocaust.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
03/06/09
Philip French
Philip French
Observer [UK]

The Unborn isn't the worst horror film you'll see in 2009, but the prospect of a sequel (which the film teases at the finale), is probably the biggest fright in the 88 minutes.

Full Review Source: Digital Spy | comment Comment
03/06/09
Alex Fletcher
Alex Fletcher
Digital Spy

This may dabble in Jewish mysticism and the legacy of the Nazi era but scratch the surface and you discover just another standard scary movie.

Full Review Source: Daily Express | comment Comment
03/03/09
Allan Hunter
Allan Hunter
Daily Express

Unsatisfying, hokey and never that scary (unless you’re the type who jumps at every loud noise or sudden appearance in this sort of movie), The Unborn outstays even its brief lifespan.

Full Review Source: SFX Magazine | comment 1 Comment
03/03/09
James White
James White
SFX Magazine
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Unborn

July 06, 2009: RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
It's a genre lover's feast this week on DVD, but don't say we didn't warn you about those pesky rotten Tomatometers. First up? Alex Proyas's latest science fiction thriller,... More...

January 19, 2009: Though some images are on the terrifying side, this mostly outlandish tale is riddled with homicidal tots, interdenominational exorcists, and attention deficit disorder dybuks who can't make up their mystical minds which body is cool enough to inhabit. Opens in new window
More...

January 09, 2009: Though some images are on the terrifying side, this mostly outlandish tale is riddled with homicidal tots, interdenominational exorcists, and attention deficit disorder dybuks who can't make up their mystical minds which body is cool enough to inhabit. Opens in new window
More...

January 08, 2009: Critics Consensus: Say "I Don't" To Bride Wars
This week at the movies, we've got a bridal battle (Bride Wars, starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson); a cranky car enthusiast (Gran Torino, directed by and starring Clint... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

75% 75% Sherlock Holmes 26/12
39% 39% The Lovely Bones 26/12
100% 100% The French Kissers 26/12
84% 84% Bright Star 26/12
71% 71% Nowhere Boy 26/12
— Alvin and the Chipmunk… 26/12
10% 10% Did You Hear About the… 26/12
05% 05% Old Dogs 26/12

What’s Hot On RT

New Alice Trailer

New Alice Trailer

Tim Burton returns to the rabbit hole

20 Must-See Films

20 Must-See Films

Your essential Summer Movie Guide

James Cameron

James Cameron

We look at the Avatar director's career

Golden Globes!

Golden Globes!

See who got nominated for the awards

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
94
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
  • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
19
  • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
30
  • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
28
  • Tobey Maguire Refutes Hobbit Rumors Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • Prince of Persia Featurette Posted Source: Yahoo! Movies
4
  • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
61
  • Mel Gibson Plans a Mexican Vacation Source: Variety
8
  • New Iron Man 2 Clue Posted Source: Screen Rant
26
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Awards Tour 2009: Golden Globe Noms Here!
144
  • Total Recall: James Cameron Movies
72
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
70
  • Critics Consensus: Avatar Is Certified Fresh
62
  • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
44
  • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
38
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
34
  • Awards Tour 2009: SAG Nominations Are In!
34
  • The Effects of Where the Wild Things Are
32
  • Friday Harvest: Iron Man 2, Tron Legacy, and more!
20
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Unborn at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Unborn at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
40 Best Films of the 2000s
40 Best Films of the 2000s External Link

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!

Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Worst Hollywood Remakes of the Decade
Worst Hollywood Remakes of the Decade External Link

Movieline gets bravely swept away with the recycled refuse of the 2000s.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs External Link

We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.