THE MOVIE PAGES presents ODETTE YUSTMAN in THE UNBORN theunborn.htm

What Do The Critics Say?

"While many of the scares were not as effective as those in The Exorcist, The Unborn definitely earned its rating for intense sequences of violence and terror, disturbing images, thematic material and language including some sexual references."
Karen Benardello SHOCKYA
"The Unborn is comfortably the best entry yet from Platinum Dunes, Michael Bay’s previously remake-happy horror production outfit."
Tom Ambrose EMPIRE MAGAZINE
"Packed with very scary moments and very disturbing images, this is not for the faint-hearted - that includes me."
Mickey McMonagle UK SUNDAY MAIL
"does make sure you're never far away from a big 'Boo!'"
Clark Collis ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
"It has a few really interesting ideas in it and a few good, old-fashioned scares and very little camera shaking."
Jeffrey M Anderson COMBUSTIBLE CELLULOID
"The treatment, by writer-director David Goyer, is strictly conventional, the shock moments obviously inserted at regular intervals, usually while the heroine is in her underwear."
David Stratton THE AUSTRALIAN

"If you're the kind of horror fan who gets your kicks from phantasmagorical imagery and shivers at the thought of supernatural forces beyond our realm of comprehension, you could do a lot worse than The Unborn."
Jason Buchanan TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE
"Possession tale is low on blood, but high on scares."
James Rocchi COMMON SENSE
"The Unborn is a baby-sitter horror flick with classic creep-out elements that unite in a surprisingly engrossing story."
Kyle Smith NEW YORK POST
"Something arresting happens with The Unborn, attired in its generic, hand-me-down title. It actually scares you."
Joshua Rothkopf TIME OUT NEW YORK
"The climactic exorcism scene finds not one but two religious figures (an Episcopal priest and a Jewish rabbi) carrying out the ritual in tandem, one holding forth in Hebrew and the other in English. And neither one of them commands the sort of confidence you'd want to bet your immortal soul on."
John P Meyer PEGASUS NEWS

The Inside Story Dybbuk (dib'ook, de-book'): noun. A demon, or the soul of a dead person, that enters the body of a living person and directs the person’s conduct, exorcism being possible only by a religious ceremony. 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. In "The Unborn", Casey Beldon has the curse unleashed on her. Casey's only chance of surviving is to shut a doorway from beyond our world that has been pried open by someone who was never born. For David S Goyer, the concept of twins was a subject he had long found both fascinating and unnerving. While on a trip to Chicago to visit his wife, Jessika Borsiczky Goyer on the set of a film she was producing, David would become inspired by the subject matter to develop the script for The Unborn. "David has been preoccupied with twins for a long time," she says. "There are a lot of great unanswered mysteries in the medical history of twins, and the more he researched it, he realized there were ways to write about them that could be very scary. We both wanted to do a horror film that felt fresh and relied on scares derived from our worst possible nightmares…instead of just a movie relying on torture and gore. We looked to movies we felt were really scary, like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, and considered the moments in those films that chilled us to the bone." David felt what was most interesting about those landmark movies is that, while they could easily be called horror films or supernatural thrillers, they are also intense dramas. "When something’s real, it scares me and those films have an air of realism to them that offers the dramatic intensity I wanted in this film." Of his interest he notes: "I’ve always found twins to be scary. Jessika and I were having dinner at a restaurant in Chicago, discussing the subject, when the idea came up about someone being haunted by their unborn twin. I’ve heard stories about one twin dying during the pregnancy, or even during delivery, and I started to think about what kind of psychological effect that could have on the surviving twin." With the loose idea for the script beginning to take shape, the writer/director traveled to his good luck writing spot (beautiful Wyoming) to start fleshing out the horror story of "The Unborn". The celebrated comic-book author, known for his ability to imagine entire worlds down to their minutiae, began to research what was known of twins. This led him to uncover material about gruesome experiments by Nazis upon children during the Holocaust. Led by 'The Angel Of Death' (The sadistic researcher Dr Josef Mengele), Nazi scientists believed that members of the Aryan race could have perfect blue eyes and were willing to torture Jewish twins in concentration camps to find the best way to alter pigmentation, conducting a series of painful experiments to inject lethal dyes into the eyes of children to make their natural dark eyes turn blue. It led him to examine ancient Jewish folklore, from which he learned of the ancient spirit called a dybbuk: cursed, wandering souls who can enter the bodies of the living. Dybbuk's have been a part of mythology for centuries. Discussing the behavior of the vengeful entities, with whom reason is impossible, Goyer says: "Like a moth tapping against the glass trying to get into light, they keep trying to come back into a body, because they can’t go into heaven."

On why spirituality and archaic symbols resonate so profoundly in the horror genre, the director believes: "Religion and horror films always seem to go hand in hand. Most religions address some form of an afterlife, supernatural figures, entities and ghosts. It’s a mystery we didn’t understand three thousand years ago, and we still grapple to come up with explanations: which makes it a natural fit for genre films." The original subject matter of Goyer’s script resonated with Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller. With a history of producing successful movies that include the 2003 remake of the 1974 gore-fest "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", as well as "The Amityville Horror", "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" and "Friday the 13th", the filmmakers were looking to find an original script for Platinum Dunes to produce. Producer Fuller ("The Hitcher") admits that their production house is sent a number of horror scripts, but he and his team weren’t ready to put another remake on their slate. "We loved David’s script, and the level of writing was so much higher than what we were receiving at the time. From the inception of Platinum Dune, Michael, Drew and I have always talked about making a film that dealt with religion and exorcisms. It’s a subject matter that is very frightening and resonates with audiences." "It’s not every day that you get a spec script from a writer like David Goyer, who was coming off of "Batman Begins", the entire "Blade" franchise and "The Dark Knight", says producer Andrew Form ("Kissing a Fool"). "We jumped on it, and it was exactly what we were looking for." For Platinum Dunes, having Goyer direct the film was the only option. "It’s not fair to assume that everyone who writes a great script can direct one," Fuller stated,"“but David had directed three movies, and in talking to him, he understood where all the scares were. There was no discussion; it was going to be David directing the film, or we weren’t going to make it." For Goyer, the decision to direct was heavily influenced by two of his previous leading actors. "I had known about Platinum Dunes for a while and happen to be very good friends with Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds, who I directed in "Blade: Trinity". They went on to do "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Amityville Horror" and said very good things about working with Michael, Andrew and Brad. Platinum Dunes had a deal with Rogue Pictures, who was looking for a genre movie, so it seemed like perfect timing and a good fit, creatively." With Goyer’s script firmly anchored by the character of Casey Beldon, a young woman who realizes a cursed spirit has been stalking generations of her family, the filmmakers began the task of finding the right young actress to play the pivotal role, as well as a cast to share in her terror. When looking for the right performer for the role, Fuller says the production team cast a wide net. "With all of our movies, we’ve always looked to younger actors and actresses who do not have a long list of credits. It affords them an opportunity to star in a movie, and we’re able to see virtually every young actor and actress in Hollywood for these roles." "Casting Casey was one of the harder roles we’ve had to fill," adds Form. "The whole movie rests on the character’s shoulders, and we wanted someone fresh and new. That’s a hard find." The filmmakers auditioned hundreds of actresses, but Odette Yustman, a homecoming queen, model and graduate of Woodcrest Christian High School (Riverside, California) who starred as Beth McIntyre in the groundbreaking hit "Cloverfield" and as Aubrey in the TV series "October Road", was a standout.

"Odette is absolutely stunning and a really talented actress, but she also feels like someone who could live next door to you," says Executive producer Jessika Goyer ("The Promotion" & "Asylum"). "She has this quality where you want to be her friend and protect her and see her through her character’s nightmarish journey." Yustman says she was drawn to the part from her first read-through. Relating her sympathy for the young woman, she said: "Even though Casey pretended she was over her mom’s suicide and she was OK, there was always something that haunted her. She can’t really talk about her mom’s death with her father because it’s so difficult for the both of them." During initial filmmaker meetings and throughout production, the actor proved to be just as tough as the character she would portray. "Now that I’ve done a few films, it’s interesting to see how different producers deal with the auditioning process," says Yustman ("Kindergarten Cop"). "After I was three auditions deep, I went to the Platinum Dunes offices and we all just talked about the film and had a good-natured verbal sparring. It was a lot of fun." Assisting Casey in her journey to unlock the mysterious visions that haunt her is her boyfriend, Mark Hardigan, played by Cam Gigandet (Kevin Volchok in TV'S "The O.C." and, Daniel Romalotti Jnr in "The Young and the Restless"). The actor, who most recently starred as the seemingly unstoppable vampire James in the global hit "Twilight" and as hard-ass ultimate fighter Ryan in "Never Back Down", was coming from two films in which he had played a villain. For "The Unborn", he was excited to play against that type. Well, for part of the film at least. "It really piqued my interest when I read the script and saw the arc of this character," says Gigandet. "Mark goes from loving someone so intensely and taking care of her; to trying to fight an evil presence that eventually takes control of him." Plauged by nightmares and visions, Casey's first clue as to possible demonic possession, comes when she discovers she has contracted heterochromia (a condition in which people have two differently colored eyes). Her brown eyes are beginning to turn bright blue: a sure sign that the demon is near. Her Grandmother Sofi Kozma, a Holocaust survivor, provides an explanation for the mysterious corporeal changes and surreal visions Casey is experiencing. Two time Emmy Award winner Jane Alexander ("Playing for Time" & "Warm Springs") was cast as Sofi. Alexander took the part that she felt was a "lovely role because of the trajectory of the character. Sofi starts off in this ambiguity and ends up a really good person who has been beset all of her life." Casey’s best friend, Romy Marshall is played by Meagan Good ("SAW V"). "Romy and Casey have grown up together, and she looks out for her. Romy is actually pretty superstitious, and she is afraid Casey will end up spiraling down the same path as her mother." Casey's only hope to stop the madness lies with Rabbi Sendak, a spiritual advisor played by Alexander Korda Award winner, Gary Oldman. Fuller admits they "weren’t sure if Gary would want to do the film." When he signed on, the director recalls it felt like "we had won the lottery because he anchors the film, and as it turns out, he is a big fan of the horror genre and science-fiction films." Of the exorcism scene, Oldman explained: "The exorcism itself involves a Hebrew psalm. It is, in fact, a prayer. I’m not Jewish, and I don’t speak Hebrew, so I worked with someone who led me through the meaning and the pronunciation." The team cast Ethan Cutkosky as the terrifying, evil entity, Barto, and Atticus Shaffer as young Matty Newton who is possessed by the dybbuk. 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 to inhabit. Casey Beldon hated her mother for leaving her as a child. But when inexplicable events begin to happen, Casey begins to understand why she left. Plagued by terrible dreams and a tortured ghost that haunts her waking hours, she must turn to the only person, Rabbi Sendak who can make it stop.With the help of Sendak, her best friend Romy and boyfriend Mark, Casey uncovers a family curse dating back to Nazi Germany: of 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.

The Verdict

"While "The Unborn" isn't in the big league when it comes to the horror genre, it is, if you happen to be a fan of the genre, worth having a look at. Although it never rises above the level of 'middle of the road' there are plenty of scary moments and some very good SFX. It follows a formula that has become a hallmark of many films in the genre today: the lead actress must be nubile, tall, have a killer body and, appear as often as possible, in a tight white singlet style top and form hugging white panties. The later aimed at distracting young teen male cinemagoers attention away from the fact that the plot line isn't all that absorbing or groundbreaking. That's obvious when it comes to a dramatic exorcism near the films end. It doesn't require a massive IQ to work out where this ones heading. While the production team would like to have you think there's something groundbreaking about the film, the truth is: there isn't. But, even if "The Unborn" doesn't raise the bar, it's fair to say that by modern standards, it doesn't lower it either. It probably won't scare the crap out of you, but it will have you jumping in your seat. 3 STARS." Who Plays Who?

Odette Yustman
Gary Oldman
Meagan Good
Cam Gigandet
Idris Elba
Jane Alexander
Atticus Shaffer
James Remar
Carla Gugino
C.S. Lee
Michael Sassone
Ethan Cutkosky
Rachel Brosnahan
Kymberly Mellen
Brian Boland
Roslyn Alexander
Savannah Walker
Alexis Wade

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Casey Beldon
Rabbi Sendak
Romy
Mark Hardigan
Arthur Wyndham
Sofi Kozma
Matty Newton
Gordon Beldon
Janet Beldon
Dr Lester Caldwell
Eli Walker
Barto
Lisa Shepherd
Gail Newton
Roger Newton
Evelyn
Seven Year Old Casey
Nine-Year-Old Sofi

The Production Team

Director
Writer
Producers
Original Music
D.O.P.
Film Editor
Casting
Production Design
Art Direction
Set Decoration
Costume Design

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David S Goyer
David S Goyer
Michael Bay/Andrew Form/Bradley Fuller
Ramin Djawadi
James Hawkinson
Jeff Betancourt
Juel Bestrop & Seth Yanklewitz
Craig Jackson
Gary Baugh
Desi Wolff
Christine Wada