Rosemary’s Baby Meets The Omen
It’s become a well-worn subgenre in horror: the religious demonic/possession movie, with the likes of The Pope’s Exorcist and others littering our cinema screens in recent years. But Immaculate is slightly different from what this usual type of movie tries to be, as it changes the formula somewhat and pits an inexperienced nun against the religious establishment as they try to exploit her. Sydney Sweeney is brilliant as the nun on the run, who falls pregnant with a literal demon child.
Immaculate is like a twisted mix between Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen, as Sister Cecilia fights the hierarchy in an Italian convent after discovering she is pregnant. There is a nice and steady build-up that leads to a terrifying final act, which is sure to divide audiences.
There are some excellent supporting performances by Alvaro Morte as Father Sal and Simona Tabasco as Sister Mary, but Sweeney takes most of the plaudits as she reunites with director Michael Mohan after they collaborated on The Voyeurs. Sweeney is a different kind of Scream queen, but she is one nonetheless, and her performance could pave the way for a new generation of horror final girls. Her actual screaming is impressive and is destined to be one of the big talking points as punters exit their particular screenings.
Immaculate does a good job of balancing fun thrills with nasty chills, especially in the final act of the movie when things really get going and the pace picks up, leading to a devastating crescendo. There is interesting commentary that runs through the movie on some very controversial subjects that feel very topical in 2024, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. The ending will shock and make you want to look away, which proves that Immaculate really does do its job well as a horror movie.
Horror performances don’t often receive the critical acclaim they deserve, but hopefully Sweeney’s performance will change this, paving the way for the next generation of actresses in horror movies. The subject matter is bound to get a reaction from the religious community, but that can only work to raise its profile and drive more people to the cinema to see the movie for themselves. By no stretch of the imagination is it the movie of the year but it’s definitely worth a watch, especially if you enjoy Gothic horror.
Read more: Immaculate Ending Explained
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10