If being a parent is scary — a life of constant worry where you imagine every terrible thing that could happen to your child at any moment — then becoming a mother or father is like a horror film. 

Life is created and lurks inside of you. Growing. Thrashing. Sucking the life from its mother so it can burst out screaming; not looking quite human, but somewhat like a humanoid. It’s a miracle, for sure, but that doesn’t mean the experience doesn’t shock and rattle parents to their very core. 

Perhaps it was my state of mind watching the new psychological horror film “Resurrection,” opening at Ragtag Cinema this week, as I held my newborn son. The film is about past mistakes and the violence that permeates our relationships with our families, our friends and ourselves. All of this is portrayed with the metaphoric act of carrying a child. There’s a lot of body horror thrown in with the mix for good measure. 

Any story that deals with children and carnage often must act through symbolism because the reality is too dark. Too unpleasant. While provocative, “Resurrection” often is more interesting to think about than effective in entertaining its audience. But the film is smart, twisted and features good performances from its leads. 

More:Megachurch comedy 'Honk for Jesus' never quite finds its soul

Margaret (Rebecca Hall) is a cool professional who doesn’t get too close to anyone in her life. Not her daughter Abbie (Grace Kaufman), who remains a mystery to her — and not just because of generational gaps. Margaret keeps a married boyfriend but makes it clear the relationship is going nowhere. Everyone else is kept at arm’s length. 

We learn her emotional reluctance stems from a long-ago relationship with David (Tim Roth), who shows up mysteriously, somewhat innocuously, in the background. Margaret confronts him and he brings along baggage about their life and the child they had together. 

At this point, I must reveal nothing about what David claims. Although a summer movie recap column a few weeks ago from a far-flung Gannett columnist completely ruins the twist in “Resurrection,” I am not going to spoil the film. Except to say David’s revelation is improbable, disturbing and makes you wonder how the story will carry on this gambit. Is this real? Is it in Margaret’s head? 

Edging to the line of avoiding details. I will also say “Resurrection” is the second movie of 2022 — Alex Garland’s “Men” being the first — that adds another fearful dynamic to the act of creating life and ties it to misogyny in general. Both films theorize that man’s hostility towards women comes from a place of jealousy. 

French historian Ivan Jablonka talked about this in his recent book “A History of Masculinity: From Patriarchy to Gender Justice,” where he writes that once “deprived of the power that women have, men reserved all the others for themselves. This was the revenge of the males: their biological inferiority led to their social hegemony.” It is a resentment of the womb that drives men to awful things. 

The timing of this book, and the arrival of these two films, seems too coincidental to not make the connection. Now do I buy this theory? That’s beside the point — it is the theory being pushed in “Resurrection.” The important question is whether it works in the context of making a good film. 

Perhaps had I not seen “Men” first — and spent all summer obsessing about how it approached the same idea with brazen audaciousness — the freshness of this film's jolt would have hit different. “Men” also had a supernatural vibe that worked on multiple levels. I was unnerved. 

More:Grown-up fairy-tale 'Three Thousand Years of Longing' underlines power of stories

“Resurrection” is a thriller that reveals its motivations early, but presents an open question as to whether we can believe Margaret’s perception. Hall plays her on the verge of a razor. No one can bring their voice to a pitched quiver quite as well, and we feel the nerves under the skin of her performance. 

Yet the filmmakers are coy about whether these events are happening or if we’re just experiencing the story in Margaret’s head — that introduces uncertainty to a critical part of the story. Is David a figurative nightmare or a supernatural monster?

Roth is a powerful actor; the film isn’t clear on how to define his character. This isn’t Roth’s fault — he's exceptional as always — but that’s a big blind spot. 

“Resurrection” plays with the audience without insulting our intelligence. But the film has trouble at times tackling its delicate topic. Or maybe I’m just in a fragile state of mind about this subject.

Talk to me in 18 years when I’ve caught up on my sleep. 

In real life, James Owen is a lawyer and executive director of energy policy group Renew Missouri. He created/wrote for Filmsnobs.com from 2001-2007 before an extended stint as an on-air film critic for KY3, the NBC affiliate in Springfield. He was named a Top 20 Artist under the Age of 30 by The Kansas City Star when he was much younger than he is now.