Review: Immaculate is not perfect, and sometimes the film feels like just another horror movie heavily indicting the Catholic church, but there’s enough stardom and unique direction to make it work. Sydney Sweeney is outstanding, and she carries the tension for much of the movie’s brisk 89 minute runtime.
Who knew a freaky nun horror movie was where Sydney Sweeney would turn her interests next? I can’t say I necessarily had Immaculate on my bingo card for Sweeney’s future career moves, but the movie further adds to her deep catalogue of genre efforts the last few years.
And don’t let the throwback pastiche fool you, this eerie horror flick is about as timely and prescient as anything made in the genre this year – a nuanced approach to protecting women’s reproductive rights, and the constant, overbearing control that institutions try to maintain.
You could certainly make the argument this is Sydney Sweeney’s best performance in a feature length film. She isn’t nearly as consistent in many of her dramas as she is her thrillers. Reality, as well as the sincere turns in Anyone But You, suggests an actress out over her skis. But she’s riveting in these gonzo, relentless thrillers. There’s a winking side to her that peers through in Immaculate the same way it did in director Michael Mohan’s other Sweeney-led film The Voyeurs and Sweeney’s other campier roles.
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The direction from Mohan is stellar too, matching a grimy Roman Catholic convent with a ferocious, angry energy that follows Sweeney’s Sister Cecilia wherever she roams. Her innocence quickly eats her alive as the leaders of the convent believe they have positioned her to bear the next messiah.
It’s not perfect, and sometimes feels like just another horror movie heavily indicting the Catholic church, but there’s enough stardom and unique direction to make it work. And for a genre that has struggled to consistently make interesting releases these last couple years, Immaculate quickly becomes one of my favorites. Sweeney is outstanding, and she carries it for much of the movie’s brisk 89 minute runtime.
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Watch Immaculate (2024) on VOD
Immaculate Cast and Credits
Cast
Sydney Sweeney as Sister Cecilia
Álvaro Morte as Father Sal Tedeschi
Benedetta Porcaroli as Sister Gwen
Crew
Director: Michael Mohan
Writer: Andrew Lobel
Cinematography: Elisha Christian
Editor: Christian Masini
