Drenched in haunting undertones and confined largely to a single apartment, the Shudder original film “Birth/Rebirth” makes its mark as one of Sundance Film Festival’s midnight gems. Crafted by Laura Moss, the film reinvents the age-old tale of resurrection. It takes viewers on a captivating journey into the abyss. The film skillfully balances campy moments with visceral, grim imagery. This imagery offers a thrilling exploration of the lengths one will go to for family.
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At the core of the narrative is Celie (Judy Reyes), a maternity nurse stretched thin between her demanding job and raising her daughter Lila (A.J. Lister). Operating in the same hospital is Rose (Marin Ireland) a pathologist who lives a solitary life, consumed by morbid curiosities. Fate throws them together when a devastating event unfolds—Celie’s daughter Lila tragically dies while in a neighbor’s care. Moss captures Celie’s consuming grief through expansive shots and intimate close-ups. Meanwhile Reyes portrays the profound impact of the loss on her character with nuanced subtlety.
Worsening the situation, Lila’s body mysteriously vanishes from the hospital, drawing Celie to follow Rose to her apartment. It’s there she discovers that Rose has done the unthinkable—she’s resurrected Lila. Intrigued and desperate, Celie gradually settles into this uncanny arrangement, forging an odd but functional relationship with Rose. Moss and co-writer Brendan J. O’Brien infuse moments of humor into this grim landscape, from Ireland’s deadpan delivery to the makeshift laboratory settings, balancing the story’s grim elements with pockets of levity.
Yet, as Celie immerses herself in this second chance at motherhood, unsettling changes become evident. Lila’s body is alive, but her essence seems fragmented. The film plays with this uncanny transformation, inserting dark humor without losing its disturbing edge. It creates a blend of the comical and the chilling that irresistibly draws you in.
Although captivating, the film seems hesitant at times, constrained perhaps by its limited settings. While the routine life of secrecy that Celie and Rose adopt adds to the narrative’s eerie atmosphere, there’s a palpable yearning for more diversity in the storyline. Fleeting glimpses into Rose’s past experiments stir intrigue but leave the audience wanting more.
However, the film’s climax compensates for any shortcomings, diving headlong into unrestrained darkness. It reveals how the duo’s harrowing efforts to keep Lila alive have transformed them, as much as it did her. Amidst the unfolding terror, the characters’ evolving complexities are masterfully portrayed by Reyes and Ireland, shedding light on the waning humanity they’re barely holding onto.
In its concluding moments, the film cranks up the horror, leaving characters and viewers alike on a spine-chilling descent with no guaranteed safe landing. Its final scenes strike a deeply unsettling chord, leaving a lasting impression that transcends the screen. For those on the lookout for standout horror films, “Birth/Rebirth” stands as a compelling testament to the genre’s potential to delve into the human psyche while ripping through flesh and bone.
