‘Carrie for the Z Generation’
Reborn is a 2018 American paranormal horror film directed by British filmmaker Julian Richards (Daddy’s Girl; Shiver; The Last Horror Film; Darklands)) from a screenplay by Michael Mahin. The New Normal Productions/Jinga Films movie stars Michael Paré, Barbara Crampton, Kayleigh Gilbert and Chaz Bono.
Plot:
A stillborn baby girl is abducted by a morgue attendant and brought back to life by electrokinetic power. On her sixteenth birthday, she escapes captivity and sets out to find her birth mother, leaving a trail of destruction behind her…
Reviews:
“Of course none of this is meant to be taken very seriously: a Carrie type ending, posters on Lena’s wall indicating that her career followed much the same path as Crampton’s, and a sequence where Bogdanovich appears directing a movie called ‘Darklands’ (the title of Richards’ debut feature) can attest to that. But the cast are all good value and wide eyed Gilbert is an effective moppet from hell. Dumb then, but jolly good fun.” Dark Eyes of London
“With its perspective-changing ending (again a classic genre riff), the film employs its title in a deliberately ambiguous way. It’s unashamedly trashy when occasion calls for it but there’s a lot of intelligence at work here. The combination will doubtless put off some viewers. Others will find it a delight.” Eye for Film
“Tess’ interactions with her victims are so over the top and camp that even those not familiar with the genre will be able to have a stab at the predictable dialogue that is spouted. It’s all a little too cliched which means that the film stalls early on and never quite gets back on track.” The Hollywood News
“Perhaps the film could have been longer in order to flesh out their characters and give them some more room to explore, but alas […] With a tinkered script and more carefully paced scenes, Reborn has the potential to be the fantastically thrilling and gory horror piece it set out to be.” UK Film Review
“A girl held captive since birth is given a natural sympathy but with no great turn of character it’s difficult to continue sympathizing with someone who shows no signs of remorse. A predictable and quick ending make a promising feature go up in CGI sparks, missing the mark, feeling more like a good Lifetime movie of the week instead of the dark horror feature it could have been.” Without Your Head
Release:
Reborn was released in the US on VOD with Vertical Entertainment on September 17th 2019 following theatrical preview screenings at selected cinemas across the country, including New York and Los Angeles.
Reborn received its world premiere at FrightFest in London and was subsequently screened at over twenty festivals worldwide.
Cast and characters:
- Michael Paré … Detective Marc Fox
- Chaz Bono … Ken Stern
- Barbara Crampton … Lena O’Neill
- Monte Markham … Doctor Hetch
- Annie Quigley … Record assistant
- Bob Bancroft … Doctor Ince
- Kayleigh Gilbert … Tess Stern
- Leslie Simms … Mother Stern
- Bob Levitan … Officer Hope
- Sean Spence … Old Clerk
- Chris Valenti … Stan
- Alexa Maris … Gia Fontaine
- Chris McGahan … Electrician
Filming locations:
Los Angeles, California
Running time:
80 minutes
