John Carpenter's second outing for Masters of Horror may not have the depth, atmosphere or commentary that his previous entry in the anthology TV series exhibited but it does work to an extent as a straightforward B-movie schlock. At times gripping yet mostly frustrating, Pro-Life creates intrigue & anticipation at first but then it doesn't take long for the interest to fizzle out.
The story aims for a wicked blend of Rosemary's Baby, Assault on Precinct 13 & The Thing but despite its promising potential, the writers fail to coalesce these ideas together into a coherent plot. A convoluted mess featuring a feeble script, bland characters, inconsistent acting, dodgy effects & zero substance, the film is a blot that should've been aborted by the director as soon as it was conceived.
On the plus side, the early setup has an aura of foreboding and signs of an imminent danger to it. And the violence that erupts afterwards takes no prisoners. Ron Perlman is perhaps the only cast member here who's committed to his role and is convincing enough. But the shortcomings in the script, lazy execution from Carpenter, and mediocre work on the technical front are a tad too glaring to be sidelined.
Overall, Pro-Life is uneven & uninspiring throughout and makes for one of the weakest offerings in the legendary filmmaker's excellent oeuvre. A disposable & forgettable episode that's neither a thought-provoking study of the morality of abortion nor delivers as a gleefully fun body horror, Carpenter's final venture on the small screen fascinates in bits but is going to leave most rather disappointed & underwhelmed in the end.