WOMB (2025)

3 stars

Reel 2 Reel Film. Digital. 28th April

Based on true events, this explores fetal abduction, which apparently is an actual thing, where someone attacks a near term pregnant woman and cuts out their baby! Google it…

The film starts well with a young girl who is clearly near to giving birth, wandering in a wooded area with her small daughter, who runs off to play. However, Ashe doesn’t come back when her Mum calls for her. Suddenly a figure, in head to toe camo gear and with a masked face, appears in the clearing. he is carrying a child’s car seat and has a big knife. They are probably not there for a picnic. It doesn’t end well for the expectant mother.

Cut to Hailey (Taylor Hanks), who is soon to give birth. She is a recovering addict and is being driven by her fiancé Raymond (Myles Clothessy) to meet up with her soon to be sister in law Martha (Ellen Adair). He drops here off at the remote cabin where they will be staying and getting to know each other – though it is a bit of a dive (it was cheap) and looks like the sort of place the family from Texas Chain Saw would reside in! All the windows are boarded up.

Of course it isn’t long before they find themselves under attack from our friendly neighbourhood fetus snatcher and have to lock themselves in to protect themselves from this nutter.

Director Bridget Smith manages to build tension early on in this quite effective home invasion horror thriller, though the script by Mike Walsh doesn’t bear too much scrutiny. It is held together by the strong lead performance by Hanks. There are some suitably grisly scenes and at least one good jump scare.

Steve Kirkham