Vic’s Review – John Carpenter’s “Pro-Life”

When a scared 15-year-old girl (Caitlin Wachs) goes to an isolated clinic to end her pregnancy, her anti-abortion activist father (Ron Perlman) and brothers arrive, heavily armed and determined to force their way in and stop the procedure. But there’ll be hell to pay when the baby’s unearthly father gets involved. Emmanuelle Vaugier and Mark Feuerstein co-star in this episode of the spine-chilling Showtime series, directed by John Carpenter.

Victor – 5 out of 10

“Pro Life” marks Director John Carpenter’s second entry in the wildly popular Horror Series “Masters of Horror”, created by Mick Garris (The Stand). His first “Cigarette Burns” with Norman Reedus and Udo Keir was a very well done mystery and psychological horror film. It garnered well deserved praise from horror fans. Carpenter takes a very different approach with “Pro Life” First by having the film written by the team of Scott Swan and Drew McWeeny. Second , dealing with the controversial topic of abortion. However, having the writers dwell on formula does not bode well for this average and confusing entry. It is Rosemary’s Baby meets The Thing. And it’s a bit of a mess.

First off, I must give some praise to Ron Perlman who can never fuck up a role or movie he’s in. But here he is given nothing to really work with other than just re-acting and being angry. There is no depth for his character because he is just written as a caricature. The “All Pro-Life” people are angry and violent stereotype. Not good. He does make the best of though with just his presence and sincere and burning performance. Caitlin Wachs plays Perlman’s daughter who is convinced that the baby is abnormal somehow and wants to end her pregnancy. Wach’s performance while a bit clunky in scenes is true, earnest and meaningful. The performances fuel the film. Emmanuelle Vaugier also gives a capable but a bit dull turn as the clinic nurse.

The last half becomes a bit ludicrous. As her brothers and Father move in and take over the clinic we then find out who the real daddy is. Unfortunately, we have a Demon Daddy that looks not only fake but unconvincing and we have the baby itself that wants to re-unite with Demon daddy. It looks like a cross between a huge crab and a recycled effect from The Thing. It is neither scary or menacing. Actually, it is quite laughable. As things wind down to the corny climax we are left with just a few saving graces. Cody Carpenter’s appropriate and eerie score and Attila Szalay’s good camera composition.

I am a huge John Carpenter fan. I love his films but this is just boring, lazy and predictably banal film work. Watch it for the decent performances, including Perlman’s. That would be the only way I’d recommend this “Masters of Horror” entry from JC. Available on Netflix.