Immaculate (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Cecilia a woman of devout faith is warm welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clearer to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets.

My Take – Every year sees the release of their own set of horror films centered on a nun who finds herself in a haunted monastery, this year too saw two such releases. One being the excellent ‘The First Omen’, the formidable prequel that ended up giving life to a decade’s old franchise.

The other, being this Neon release which sees ‘Euphoria’ star and savior of rom coms Sydney Sweeney re-team with the director Michael Mohan, with whom she previously worked in The Voyeurs (2021), a silly but effective throwback to 90s erotic thrillers, and headfirst into a nightmarish underbelly of a secluded Italian convent.

Boasting of some striking visuals and a decent atmosphere of unease, this one works as a bloody and brutal horror that is filled with some shocking imagery of violence and gore, even though the execution lands somewhere between a campy fun throwback and a missed opportunity for deeper thematic exploration. Though, the film hints at compelling themes throughout, it doesn’t fully explore their potential.

Indeed, the script could have benefited from tighter plotting and a clearer focus, yet, one cannot fault the film for its creepy, tense atmosphere, gnarly kills, and wince-inducing body horror moments.

But most importantly, through it we have Sweeney confirming yet again that she’s one of the most exciting actors of the current generation. As it has been well reported, she auditioned for the role a decade ago, and since the film never got made, she revisited it as a producer and newly empowered star to revive it. Allowing her a chance to widen her range.

And when the climax kicks in, especially when that last-gasp freak-out finally comes, fans of campy horror especially will appreciate the showcase and the wild ride.

The story follows Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney), a young devout nun from Detroit, who finds herself in Italy, invited by Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) to join a convent that tends to dying nuns in their last days. Focused and selfless, Cecilia is deeply devoted to her mission, believing it was God’s will that she survived a horrible childhood accident where she fell through ice and was briefly declared dead.

Hence, she arrives at the convent ready to devote her life to a higher calling. But, as she still hasn’t yet mastered the language, she misses a lot of the early red flags, the ominous way her sisters talk about ceremonies and body qualities. Even before Cecilia starts being spooked at night, there is a mundane eeriness to the entire situation and setting.

However, things get further complicated when Cecilia discovers she’s pregnant. After initial skepticism, the convent led by Cardinal Franco (Giorgio Colangeli) and Mother Superior (Dora Romano) decide that the pregnancy is an immaculate conception, and the child is the literal second coming of Christ himself. Now revered as the new Virgin Mary and the resentment from her fellow sisters only growing, not even her holy status can protect Cecilia from the dark secrets of the convent.

Once that central set-up is complete, the film becomes free to improvise with ancient religious mythologies and cinematic nods, and the dark opera begins. There’s no denying the film’s fun factor. The first act lures you in with idyllic Italian countryside visuals and a warm welcome for Cecilia.

But the cracks soon begin to show, as it gleefully dives into increasingly bizarre and bloody territory. Add to that a score that is haunting blend of choral music and discordant strings, perfectly capturing the unsettling duality of the convent.

For much of its runtime, the film treads very familiar religious horror ground, but the pace of the film is very deliberate, as director Michael Mohan gradually building the creepy atmosphere and delivering the expected jump scares. However, the pace picks up considerably once it is revealed that Cecilia has somehow fallen pregnant, despite not having had congress with a man, and that her superiors will stop at nothing to ensure that she stays at the convent to see the pregnancy through to full term.

There’s a sense of stylish chaos to the film, particularly in the later acts, that’s undeniably entertaining, with the level of violence increasing as the film approaches its tense climax. Written by Andrew Lobel, the film attempts to challenge the concepts of blind faith and the lack of female autonomy, particularly in religious circles.

However, these themes are ultimately not explored as deeply as you’d want, not diving much into the modern-day parallels about women’s agency over their bodies and how religion can be used to justify the most archaic of rules.

Performance wise, Sydney Sweeney proves that is she is undeniable a star performer. She excellently portrays Cecilia’s transformation from wide-eyed innocent to a woman fighting for survival, both physically and emotionally. There’s a vulnerability in her turn that makes you root for her throughout. There is an unbroken two-minute take of her letting out a feral, guttural scream of pain and it is extraordinary. Álvaro Morte is effective charming, and makes the most of his role. Benedetta Porcaroli is likable as the supportive and rebellious Sister Gwen.

In supporting roles, however, Giorgio Colangeli and Dora Romano are a bit one-note. The film also briefly features Simona Tabasco, whose role and appearance adds nothing to the overall film. On the whole, ‘Immaculate’ is an odd, creepy and occasionally campy religious horror that showcases Sydney Sweeney‘s immense talent.