Movie Review: ‘Immaculate’

“Immaculate” is a new horror film by director Michael Mohan and writer Andrew Lobel. Star Sydney Sweeney demonstrates her horror acting chops and burgeoning scream-queen potential. “Immaculate” follows a young American woman, Cecelia played by Sweeney, who joins a convent in rural Italy.

The best part of this film is the cinematography and set design. The chill-inducing shots of Cecilia throughout the film with her focused in the center add a feeling of dread as the others in the convent obsess over her. Cecilia-focused shots emphasize the immense pressure she is under throughout the film, and add a sense of dissonance between her and the others in the convent. The sets in the convent itself and the landscape of the Italian countryside are visually stunning.

The film appears to take place sometime in the mid-20th century, though with the use of the isolated and archaic setting, the time is fairly ambiguous adding to a sense of disorientation felt by the audience. A scene in the first act of the film utilizes flashing red lights to add a sense of confusion and alarm. The “Suspiria”-esque sequence is gorgeous to look at.

Cecilia becomes pregnant through supposed immaculate conception, and is hailed as a saint by the convent. An utterly chilling shot of Sweeney adorned in Our Lady of Sorrows accouterments standing on the balcony of the church, a single tear flowing down her cheek, with a chorus of nuns singing in Latin, is one of the best scenes in the film.

There are references to several cult-classic horror movies, though mostly in style and tropes. Overall, the plot of “Immaculate” was quite predictable. Once you catch on to the forces at play, the film is somewhat formulaic. The use of jumpscares is not overdone — with the caveat of fake-out jumpscares in which loud sounds and quick flashes are used in place of an actually frightening thing for the sole purpose of raising the audience’s heart rate. The plot and horror elements ratchet up in intensity, culminating in a dramatic end scene.

The gore in “Immaculate” is another key positive of the film. The use of both practical and CGI effects make for a few gruesome scenes. These are entirely bearable for a seasoned horror watcher, though may turn the stomachs of the uninitiated.

The sound design of the choir as well as the screams performed by Sweeney at several points in the film — especially in the final scene — makes for an insanely spine-tingling experience.

Despite a relatively simple plot, “Immaculate” is an entertaining watch. If you enjoy dramatic cinematography, infrequent but intense gore, chilling religious imagery and mysterious twists and turns, you may enjoy “Immaculate.” I rate it a 3/5.