31 Days of Horror delivers the baby-horror film, Grace. The birth of a baby is always a happy time (unless it’s in the bathroom on prom night). Tears of joy, excitement, and lots and lots of gifts are bestowed upon the new bundle of joy even before it exits the womb. In the case of Madeline in the horror movie Grace, things couldn’t be further from this idyllic scenario.
After being involved in a tragic car accident that kills her husband, Madeline’s midwife discovers that the baby inside her patient has died. Instead of inducing labor, she encourages Madeline to carry the stillborn baby to term. The only thing is when the lifeless baby is delivered, it soon returns to the realm of the living.
Sounds like a miracle, right? The perfect end to a seemingly tragic series of events. But when Madeline gets the baby, named Grace, home, things aren’t as rosy and wonderful as she once expected them to be.
Flies appear around the nursery; crawling on the mobile above the crib, the crib, and even on Grace. Madeline isn’t sure what to think about what’s going on. Her calls to the midwife are never returned, she’s afraid to go to the hospital, and her in-laws are control freaks hellbent on taking her miracle baby away.
Miracle baby or not, something is definitely wrong with this newborn baby. It become abundantly clear when Grace starts craving something no baby should desire: blood!
What makes this film so scary and terrifying is that the baby looks like a baby. It’s not a demon child, no effects make-up to make it look like a vampire or zombie baby. She’s a sweet-looking baby with a thirst for blood. I agree with the director that this makes the film all the more terrifying due to this realistic aspect.
So what is Grace? A vampire? A zombie? A medical anomaly? And what happens when this blood-thirsty baby starts to teethe? What will satiate her then?
Grace has the feel of a Stephen King story. It starts out in a real and normal-looking setting, and slowly things begin to change toward the dark, the macabre, and the horrifyingly chilling.
If you like films about evil children and babies (The Omen, Children of the Corn, Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist) check out Grace. You’ll either really enjoy it, or decide to never have children.
Who is your favorite evil kid from the movies? Leave a comment and let us know!