'Prevenge' Trailer: Expectant Mom And Unborn Baby Go On A Killing Spree

Weird cravings are such a common feature of pregnancy that they've become a hackneyed sitcom joke. For the most part, though, they're of the "pickles and ice cream" variety — odd, but entirely harmless. That is decidedly not the case in Prevenge, the feature directing debut of Sightseers co-writer and co-star Alice Lowe. In this pitch-black comedy, mom and baby are out for blood.

Ruth (also Lowe) is seven months pregnant when she starts hearing strange messages from her unborn child. "Baby will tell you what to do," coos a well-meaning professional, having no idea that the baby is encouraging Ruth to go on a killing spree. Prevenge looks messed up and nasty and kind hilarious, so long as your sense of humor runs pitch-black, and you can get your first taste of it below. Click through to check out the Prevenge trailer. 

The Guardian debuted the first Prevenge trailer.

The basic premise of "unborn child spurs pregnant woman to go on killing spree" is inspired, and would be enough to get me to see this movie just by itself. But the Prevenge trailer suggests there's a little more to it than that. Ruth is still reeling from the very recent death of her husband, which might make this a horror-tinged exploration of grief, a la The Babadook. And there's potential for biting feminist commentary in the juxtaposition of motherhood and murder — a pregnant woman is the last person anyone expects to be a killer, despite the fact that Ruth has plenty to be furious about.

Prevenge debuted on the festival circuit this fall and while I unfortunately missed it at TIFF, plenty of other critics gave it strong reviews. We Got This Covered described it as "a breathtaking, savage debut from Alice Lowe, one that boasts horrific moral deprivation and a sense of humor drenched in maternal madness," while THR seemed impressed by its "uniquely exhilarating disregard for conventional morality." Adding to the film's weirdness is the fact that Ruth's pregnancy isn't just special effects — Lowe really was pregnant when shooting this film. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely putting this on my list of must-see movies for next year.

Unfortunately, though, just when we'll see this film remains to be seen. Prevenge is scheduled to open February 10, 2017 in the U.K., but doesn't have a U.S. release date yet.

Ruth (Lowe) is seven months pregnant, and like many expecting mothers she believes that her baby is speaking to her through an inner voice — the only difference being that this particular tot is telling her to go on a killing spree. Still mourning the death of her husband just months before, Ruth allows her baby to coach her on murder techniques and push her onward in a quest to dispatch people who stand in her way, from a pet shop owner to a DJ to a lonely businesswoman. Through all the carnage, Ruth's bulging belly serves as a perfect alibi — after all, who would ever suspect a cold-blooded killer could be lurking behind the sweet, glowing visage of a visibly pregnant woman?