Pregnancy horror is a strange sub genre of horror. It is popular enough for studios to keep pumping them out, but not so much to start a franchise. (Though it has been integrated into others.) Hulu’s Clock is the latest entry to revisit the idea. Ella Patel (Dianna Argon, Shiva Baby) has been pressured by everyone around her that it is time to have a baby. She enrolls in an experimental treatment to “fix” her biological clock.
Obviously, there is a message about how society looks at women who do not have children. This includes their portrayal in movies. They are often seen as filled with regret or carefree people who have made selfish decisions. In an ingenious montage, Ella thinks back on everything she has done such as vacations and rendezvous that would have been more difficult with kids. It is not that she is happy to not have kids, she just never wanted any to begin with. It gives insight into the character while setting up the plot.
As Clock progresses, the once confident Ella begins to question what she has done with her life and what her future holds. Obligations both familial and religious start to wear down Ella. Dr. Elizabeth Simmons (Melora Hardin) is there to constantly re-enforce the decision to start a family.
Writer-director Alexis Jacknow is at her best when exploring the psychological terror of the whole situation. Even when Clock leans more into horror, it is the explorations of character that resonate more. The writing and acting make things consistently interesting. It is a shame the more horror-tinged moments do not work as well. The jump scares are generic while the supernatural elements feel forced. This does not prevent Clock from being a good movie, but it falls short of something truly special.
Clock premieres on Hulu April 28
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