Written by Jon Wedge

It’s easy to lose track of the number of religious-themed (particularly Christian) horror films that have been pumped out by the industry since classics such as Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist first struck fear into unprepared audiences over fifty years ago. Relatively few such films are worth the time of any viewer besides diehard horror fanatics and even fewer deserve to be acknowledged in the same breath as those aforementioned classics—there’s a reason these films have influenced countless imitators in the last half-century. Still, every now and then we are offered a new version of one of these religious horrors that have something more to offer than most, even if they live within that long shadow that was cast long ago.

Enter Immaculate, a new showcase for fast-rising star Sydney Sweeney that sees the actress reunite with director Michael Mohan after 2021’s The Voyeurs. While Immaculate offers largely little by way of unexpected typical religious horror tropes it still finds some ways to climb over the shoulders of its many peers. The first comparison that comes to mind is 2019’s The Nun: an uneven outing that featured some excellent scenes of atmospheric horror but too frequently shot itself in the foot and spelled the beginning of a sharp decline in quality for entries to the Conjuring franchise. While Immaculate has positive attributes going for it, it does have a tendency to—much like The Nun—disrupt its own atmosphere at various points throughout the film.

Let’s get the downsides out of the way really quick because they’re exactly what many of you would expect. A number of plot reveals and the motivations of the primary antagonist are predictable, a symptom of a subgenre of cinema that has long relied on too many of the same tropes. Some creative choices by Mohan fall flat, with the more “light” scenes feeling more like a slight detour than a chance to breathe, and there are the expected jump scares that startle the characters more than the audience; this only serves to hamper the atmosphere, which also suffers from a score that’s even less memorable than the dialogue.

The plot and scares in *Immaculate* are derivative, but there is a bit of a fresh take on how religion is utilized in the horror genre.

If you found that last paragraph enough to dissuade you from seeing this movie, or if you do see it and find yourself bored, you would be forgiven. However, I would now like to highlight the strengths as they do allow Immaculate to differentiate itself from some of its peers, starting with the acting. All of the actors do a good job throughout the film, making it a palatable watch in the face of its weaknesses. Most people are going to see this film due to Sydney Sweeney holding the lead role, and she will not disappoint. Sweeney is the anchor of Immaculate from her first appearance to the final frame. From earnest yet nervous to frightened to despondent to maniacal desperation, Sweeney’s full range is on display and commands sympathy for her character, delivering one of the better horror-led performances of recent years.

While acting alone may not be enough to convince some to give Immaculate a chance, and while much of the writing is half-baked, I do find there to be subtextual themes that caught my attention (of course it’s entirely possible these themes are personal head-canon and I’m looking into things that aren’t there, but finding ambiguity between the lines makes enhances any work of art). One could simply dismiss the picture as shallow, but I believe the setting of a Catholic convent provides for some symbolism at times. When watching Immaculate, I challenge you to consider the power dynamics at play. The nuns of the convent are trapped on the premises, subservient fodder for the ambitions of the clergy. Sweeney’s character defends herself with tools in the form of religious symbols. One does not have to think too hard to consider how issues like reproductive rights, eugenics, religious dogma, misogyny, and clerical hypocrisy are at play. Had the script been given a little more thought, and had the film been in the hands of a more skilled director who could have expanded on such themes, Immaculate had the foundations of a modern classic. Nevertheless, the brutal final scene alone is enough to stay in my mind thanks to the talents of Sydney Sweeney.

Jon Wedge is a contributing writer from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and he hears it’s amazing when the famous purple-stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hari Kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!