It’s
not the dingoes. It’s a hag demon that is out to steal Mary’s baby. That’s
assuming it really isn’t postpartum depression, like everyone around her so
unhelpfully assumes. Whatever the case might be, infant Adam is definitely in jeopardy
throughout Brandon Christensen’s Still/Born
(trailer
here), which screens at this year's Fantasporto.
Little
Adam is already a survivor, considering his twin brother died during child
birth. Mary and Jack are feeling some dramatically mixed emotions, but they try
to focus on what they have. Soon after returning home, Mary starts seeing flashes
out of the corner of her eye. She tries to explain them away, but the incidents
quickly escalate. Before long, she is desperately trying to thwart the entity’s
murderous schemes. Of course, all she gets from her doctor are anti-depressants.
To be fair, Jack is reasonably supportive for a reasonable period of time,
ill-timed business trips notwithstanding, but the demon has a knack for framing
up Mary good.
Miscarriages
and stillbirths are awfully painful for couples that suffer them, so exploiting
them for a horror movie is a dicey proposition but hey, we don’t use the term “exploitation”
for nothing. To their credit, Christensen and co-screenwriter Colin Minihan
address such subjects with as much sensitivity as can be mustered in a fright
flick. Unfortunately, the actual demonic and/or psychological horror is pretty
standard stuff, albeit executed with a little stylish flair. There simply is
never a moment in Still/Born that
truly surprises us.
It
is a shame, because the conventional narrative squanders a fierce and bravely vulnerable
performance from Christie Burke as Mary. We truly believe her terror is real,
regardless of its true nature. Alas, the film also wastes the great Michael
Ironside in a largely inconsequential near-cameo as close-talking Dr. Nielsen.
He doesn’t even get to yell at anyone. However, Rebecca Olson makes a strong
impression as Mary’s desperate housewife neighbor, Rachel.