First Born (2007)

I've read all the reviews of First Born on here and some other reviewers share my opinion that this is a good film, which builds intensity leaving you wanting to know what happens in the end.However, the more I try and analyse the film (which isn't always a good thing)the more confused I become.It's well made, acted and scripted. Elisabeth Shue plays the role of the anxiety filled new mother well, as an actress of her calibre should. Some reviewers perception of the film is that Shue is a new mother struggling with PPD whilst others seem to see it as a haunting/possession type scenario.For me, I perceived this film to be portraying the struggles of a new mother - the anxieties progressing to psychosis. Having suffered from post natal depression myself after a c-section, I instantly felt a connection to Shue's character, however I never descended into psychosis, thankfully. But throw in the whole "curse" angle to the mix, along with the character of Jenny who is referred to as having previously lived in the house, then that's when things got a bit confusing for me. When the nanny attached the bundle under the baby's crib, I thought that was to protect the baby. But then when Laura comes back from the black-tie dinner and asks why she didn't answer the phone, the nanny said she hadn't heard it ringing - although the phone could clearly be heard ringing in the background, whilst the nanny was attaching the bundle under the crib.That said, I still enjoyed the film and couldn't wait to see how it ended. Supernatural thriller or psychological thriller? You decide.

Poorly written script,and directors art visions about women,I don't want to recommend this,slow,poor,disturbing,but is not as different as they says.Seen it before parts put together without any skills.Unforunatelly Elizabeth Shue plays with one boring face in the whole movie.Laughable dialogs makes the situation worst,but not in a good way,cause this movie,and it's director has not real sense of humor.Feels like the movie is almost 150 minutes long,while not,but feels like that long.Officially this movie has not(V)or(TV)-sign,or rating by IMDb.At this moment,but I will not wonder if years after this will get it,cause it worth that.1,2/10-not worth watching.

Can't believe I just wasted my time watching this movie! Stinker, awful, disgusting, waste of time, chaotic plot line (hey, really, NO plot line). Life is short and then you die, don't waste a couple hours on this horse patootey! blech. Elizabeth Shue, you are not a smart woman, this movie clearly proves that. What on earth were you thinking?? Oh, yeah, of course... you were thinking you're over 40 and there are no more starring roles for you. So what? You owe your fans something better than this nothing movie. Well, I suppose you never were a great actress anyway but puhlease!!! pick your roles better.What a terrible waste of time.

I don't exactly understand why most of these reviews say the movie doesn't tell you what's happening. I can see how some people who don't think with an open mind or just have a low attention span and are expecting a Hollywood style horror/thriller movie get disappointed but that's not what this movie was going for.. This movie is as most others who gave it a high rating stated, is meant to be a psychological movie. So Laura sees rats in the house, Steve calls the exterminator who says there are no rats.. I'll admit I don't understand the whole Jenny thing but the voodoo. The older woman (Mrs. Kasperian)said she did some research after she was experiencing a similar anxiety after her first child so the thing under the crib was hers. However, the Mrs. Kasperian wasn't trying to do bad voodoo, you can gather from the character that she knew something was wrong and she did that little thing under the crib to help. Also, you know Laura's going crazy when near the end she sees the mice and tries to 'get the mice off her baby' when her husband Steve looks on the camera there are no mice (the mice are non-existent). Then at the end Laura does bury her baby thinking it was the 'cursed doll'. So, most of the events on the movie are explained and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. If you decide to watch it, I hope you enjoy it too.