‘Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant’ Review: A Sweet Kiwi Gross-Out Comedy Coated in Extra-Terrestrial Goo

With a title like “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant,” subtlety was never an option. In fact, given its title, it’s surprising that there are any moments of sweetness or real human connection in this gross-out body horror-comedy (because what else could a movie called “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” be?). But they are there, almost drowning in a flood of disturbingly colored sexual fluids, jiggly alien fetal goop, and frothy vomit the color of a Frost Blue Gatorade. 

The debut feature from New Zealand filmmaking duo Thunderlips (a.k.a. Sean Wallace and Jordan Mark Windsor) is part of a tradition of horror films fixated on the grotesque transformative aspects of pregnancy. This includes classics like “Alien” and “The Brood,” although the movie that “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” resembles most is the 1983 Hong Kong exploitation film “Seeding of a Ghost,” in which an entire extended family is terrorized by the tentacled creature that literally explodes from a pregnant woman’s womb. 

“Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” lightly pokes at the concepts of consent and bodily autonomy, both through the method by which the titular pregnancy is achieved — alien sperm is much more powerful than its human equivalent — and the frustrating road blocks Mary (Hannah Lynch) faces in trying to get this thing out of her already. Half-alien baby daddy Boo (Arlo Green) isn’t exempt from medical malpractice either, as demonstrated by the grossly overbearing treatment he receives when he arrives at the hospital to corroborate Mary’s story.

These themes are played with the same level of seriousness as the rest of the film — which is to say, little to none. But the comedy is knowing enough not to come across as offensive. (A joke about weight limits on morning-after pills, for example, is a credit to the film’s male writers and directors, two very nice-sounding boys who say that the film was inspired by watching their female partners give birth.) Most of the time, however, it’s just juvenile, with a dash of the dry, self-deprecating wit that Kiwi comedy is known for. 

One phrase we get to hear a lot in that charming New Zealand accent is “weird penis,” as Boo’s unusual genitals are responsible for this mess. As the story begins, Mary and Boo are neighbors, unemployed millennial layabouts who rarely leave their rooms. Dressed in dirty sweats and basketball shorts, they’re embarrassments to their single mothers Cynthia (Yvette Parsons) and Ann (Jackie Van Beek), who are equal parts devoted and desperate for their kids to grow up. 

One day during a venting session, Ann lets slip that Boo is the product of an alien abduction, and has certain “deformities” that make it impossible for him to date. The oversharing Cynthia immediately passes this information on to her daughter, leading to a meet-cute in the laundry room that quickly escalates into Mary becoming, well, alien pregnant. What Mary’s actually doing on her phone all day and night is watching tentacle porn, and the prospect of seeing an exotic member in real life is too exciting to pass up, even if things are moving way too fast. Like, “conception to birth within the span of a few days” fast. 

Over the course of the film, viewers get a good look at Boo’s “weird penis,” which resembles a vaginal seed pod positioned above a pair of radishes with sperm tails. A more tasteful and/or lower-budgeted project might have made viewers use their imaginations, but “Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” is well-funded enough to have key anatomical pieces fabricated out of silicone. These imaginative prosthetics also include the adorable alien baby itself, as well as a gigantic glowing “birthing pod” topped with orange eggs like extraterrestrial salmon roe. These stand out amid the otherwise adequate effects, which simply get the spurting, spewing job done. 

Disappointingly, the alien elements don’t reach full Screaming Mad George surrealism until the end of the movie, relying a bit too much on blue goo and screaming along the way. Of course, any amount of blue goo and screaming will be too much for many viewers, and only those who are thoroughly inoculated to outrageousness will be able to pick up on nuances in the film’s tone. Pay attention, however, and the connection between Mary and Boo becomes more tender as their dilemma deepens, as does the relationship between Mary and her well-meaning, if totally embarrassing, mom. 

The film’s working-class setting and thrift-shop costuming are also endearing, particularly when it comes to the character of Cynthia. Costume designer Lissy Turner drapes Parsons in flowy layers and embroidered velvet, conveying everything the audience needs to know about this woman and her kooky, open-minded beliefs. Cynthia wants Mary to keep the baby, but respects her daughter’s decision; Lynch’s determined performance is an asset here, as Mary makes clear that, no matter how sticky or sweaty or swollen she gets, no one is going to force her to raise an alien infant against her will. 

It all builds to a snorter of a punchline that isn’t particularly deep, but is satisfying. At the end, all that’s left is a question: Is it worse to be alien pregnant, or the regular human kind? 

Grade: B-

“Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant” premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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