By REY FLORES
It is finally here. After a few years of rumors and speculation, fundraising, and some resistance from the filmmaking industry, Unplanned made its world premiere at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
We must see this as a huge victory for the pro-life movement in the sense that despite all of the secular culture’s love of abortion, here we are in 2019, premiering an anti-abortion film in the Devil’s own backyard.
As with her book, the movie tells the true story of Abby Johnson, a young woman who herself had gone through a difficult relationship, a relationship that included two abortions. She also played a number of roles at Planned Parenthood, everything from a volunteer, to a patient escort, to a medical technician, and finally to clinic director.
Like many of us born in the last 20 to 50 years, Abby was of the belief that abortion was a woman’s right to her body. She had a great mom and dad who did not believe in abortion, but the Johnsons never got in the way of their daughter in her personal and professional pursuits.
Through Abby’s own difficult personal and professional experiences which she shared in her book and now in this film, I hope many more abortion industry workers can find a way to do what Abby did and that is to walk away from this industry and fight to defend and protect women and their unborn babies.
The film starts off gently enough, showing a family getting ready for just another day of daily activities, knowing very little how much their lives would change forever that same day.
Once at the clinic, Johnson is asked to assist in one of the abortion procedures happening that day.
That is when Abby’s life-changing moment took place.
The movie then rewinds to an earlier time that pretty much explains Abby’s young life all the way that led up to that day. If you’ve read the book, you already know what happens, but to those unfamiliar with Abby’s story, you’ll see that even some of the kindest, smartest, and best-intentioned people can be sucked into believing Planned Parenthood’s lies and distortions.
As involved as Abby was in “defending a woman’s right to choose,” it took her being present at an actual abortion for her to realize just what a horrible and inhumane act it truly is.
It took her seeing an ultrasound of an unborn child in the womb attempting to defend himself from the abortionist’s instruments of death. It also took seeing the clear plastic tubes of the suction machine turning a crimson red before her very eyes, realizing that a baby had just been cut up into pieces and suctioned out of his mother’s womb. It took her seeing the remains of a freshly extinguished life collected in a bucket like it meant nothing.
The film’s producers tried to get a PG-13 rating, but because of the scene I just described, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ended up giving Unplanned an R rating. How ironic that such a libertine industry like Hollywood and the MPAA by giving this film an R rating basically acknowledged how horrible and violent abortions are! Kudos to the film’s art and effects people for creating such realistic depictions of Planned Parenthood’s murderous craft.
One of the things that Abby highlighted in her book, as well as portrayed in the film, is the important role Shawn Carney, and others pro-lifers who started the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil campaigns, had on her life.
While still working for Planned Parenthood, Abby developed a friendly rapport with Carney and other compassionate pro-life activists. They thankfully outnumbered some of the more radical anti-abortion activists portrayed briefly in the film, the kind who do more damage than good by yelling things like “You murderer, you’re killing your baby!” to women entering the clinics.
The film manages to deliver its message effectively in a well-paced presentation. There’s even some minor, but enjoyable humor injected into the story as Abby’s character narrates some of what is going as the story unfolds.
I really liked how the film was able to capture some of the callous and greedy vibe that Planned Parenthood puts out into the world. They may talk “woman’s choice” nonsense all day, but at the end of the day, all Planned Parenthood cares about is their bottom line. They don’t care how many women they deceive and hurt, or how much human blood is shed by killing countless innocents, but as long as they’re getting rich, that’s all that matters to them.
I’ve met Abby a few times in some of my many pro-life activities, and I must say that she is a very kind, but also very tough lady who I think was portrayed extremely well by actress Ashley Bratcher. She also starred in the Kendrick Brothers’ 2015 film War Room.
Due to the graphic nature of the abortion scenes, I would recommend that no one under age 12 see this film as it can be pretty traumatic to witness. That speaks power to the awesome job the filmmakers did with Unplanned.
Unplanned opens in theaters on March 29. I encourage all of you to go see the film, take as many family, friends, fellow parishioners, students, everyone, to go see this movie on opening weekend if possible.
Let us pray that Abby’s message in this movie resonates in many people’s consciences and hearts. That they may see the light and fight to end abortion as we know it.
Please join me in helping support Abby’s “And Then There Were None” ministry to get abortion workers to follow in her footsteps. Visit www.abortionworker.com and pledge any kind of support you can.
Visit www.unplannedfilm.com to view the trailer and to order advance individual and group tickets.
+ + +
(Rey Flores writes opinion and book and movie reviews for The Wanderer. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress