Immaculée

I liked the mix of Italian and English. It worked really well, imagining how the main character would not be able to understand the majority of what they are saying.

However, the priest asks something on the lines of 'if it is not God's will, why does he not stop us?'.

The answer to that is that He gave us free will, which any priest worth his salt would most certainly know.

Apart from that, it was a good take on an already over explored theme, with some nice bits of gore and violence thrown in.

I'd definitely recommend giving it a watch if the massive hole in the priest's explanation of what they are doing is ignored. It starts out as you would expect from the genre, but has it's surprises as it progresses.

The echoes of Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" are undeniable, from the secluded convent setting to the paranoia and isolation Cecilia experiences. But "Immaculate" carves out its own space in the genre with a surprising amount of bite.

"Immaculate," starring Sydney Sweeney as a young nun named Cecilia, delivers a captivating performance as a woman of quiet strength thrust into a horrifying situation. Where Mia Farrow's Rosemary Woodhouse in "Rosemary's Baby" was a naive outsider, Cecilia possesses a steely resolve. This subtle difference fuels the film's suspense. We see the cracks in Cecilia's faith as she grapples with the inexplicable, but she never loses her agency.

The film tackles themes of female subjugation and bodily autonomy within a religious framework. Cecilia's struggle for control over her own body becomes a potent allegory, particularly in today's social climate. It's a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll, leaving you questioning faith, free will, and the immaculate deception that can lurk behind holy walls.

Immaculate

In Immaculate, we're given a nunsploitation story. Sister Cecilia relocates to an Italian convent following the closure of the one where she was raised in America. Soon after her arrival, she becomes pregnant and this is tagged an immaculate conception seeing as she's still a virgin.

The film explores the concept of women's bodily autonomy and challenges the perception of women solely as vessels for reproduction.

This psychological religious horror is mostly good but the religious aspects could have gotten more emphasis. The social commentary on faith could have been explored better. However, it delivers a satisfying amount of scares and builds to a pulsating final act. The restraint we'd gotten in the previous acts is tossed in the final act, and here is where the movie shines best. The pacing is good even though it does take time to get to the juicy parts but with the limited runtime, it avoids being tedious. The creepy atmosphere also effectively carries the film through its initial stages.

Sydney Sweeney delivers as sister Cecilia. Remarkably, she auditioned for the role at just 17 years old before the project was shelved. Years later, as a producer, she secured financing for the film, demonstrating her dedication to the project. This dedication is palpable in the performance she gives.

In conclusion, Immaculate is a solid psychological religious horror and although it falters in some areas, particularly in its underexplored themes, the film's gripping final act and Sweeney's impassioned portrayal make it a worthy watch for horror enthusiasts.

7/10.

I had the chance to catch "Immaculate" before its release, hoping for a fresh horror experience set in a stunning Italian convent. Unfortunately, the movie felt like a letdown. The story follows Cecilia, who's supposed to uncover some dark secrets in her new, holy home, but it all ends up feeling too familiar.

The film tries to be edgy and dark but doesn't quite hit the mark, almost playing it safe like a PG-13 movie so any comparisons to "Saint Maud" almost feel like an insult. It teases us with brutality but pulls its punches, leaving us with a sense of "been there, seen that" rather than genuine chills or thrills.

Despite its beautiful setting and a premise that could have taken us on a deep, disturbing dive into faith and fear, "Immaculate" doesn't deliver. It ends up feeling like a collection of horror clichés without the bite, missing a chance to really stand out. For those looking for a horror movie that packs a punch, this might not be it.

6.7/10 (Recommend)

I went into this one completely unaware of what the film was about. My brother-in-law briefly filled me in, but with having no visual expectations I was as virgin to this film has Mary, Mother of Jesus.

The main reason for checking it out is because Sydney Sweeney has been posting TikTok videos from people who have gone and seen the film and have come out "traumatized". There's certain aspects where I can understand why some are coming out of being "mind blown", but I also feel a lot of them aren't into horror films and are seeing just cause she's in it.

Truthfully, I enjoyed the film a lot more than I expected. About 80/85% of the film was good, but the last 15/20% is where it falters and loses all its build-up. Those last twenty minutes were laughable at best and disappointing. The story works, but is definitely fiction in context. Once everything unravels I began to really feel the ninety minutes that this film is.

What makes this movie work at times is the whole nun aspect. Horror nuns are creepy and unsettling for me. The jump scares work half the time. If I was feeling better than I am then the scares wouldn't have got me as much as they did, but recognizing that I can say they aren't anything special especially if you watch horror films often.

This is my first film with Sydney Sweeney and she wasn't bad. She brings good innocence to her character and a boldness, while not unexpected, is wrecked by the execution of the end. I am now curious on some of her previous roles to gauge what kind of actress she has. There's range going from romcom to horror, but doesn't mean you're good.

Overall, a more enjoyable film than I expected, but not out of this world horrific. It shows more graphic scenes than I expected, but I'm not complaining. The ending ruins the rest of the films build-up especially with the lack of graphic visuals. If it's a movie of interest to you then wait for a cheap night or its release to a streaming service.

That's all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!