Immaculate… not the most original plot, but well done in a classic style.
If you can’t guess the plot by the title and the fact it’s set in a convent, you’re not even trying.
We’ve seen plots like this in numerous horror films through the years. Usually with some slight variations in details. Even with variations in those details, it takes a little something special to make one stand out from any other, even a little.
In the case of Immaculate, those “something special” factors fall into two parts: Casting and Style.
On the casting front, Sydney Sweeney is fantastic. That shouldn’t be surprising at all because anyone who’s seen her in anything where she’s had something solid to work with already knows she’s got talent. More importantly in this case, this was literally her project.
After it was sitting in development hell for more than a little while, Sweeney’s the one who (with her newfound clout in the business), swooped in and made this movie happen. How did she know about this to begin with? She auditioned for it years ago. Apparently the idea of it hooked her so much, she was willing to put the work into getting it made.
So, she’s not only got talent, but she’s got solid business acumen, too. Because on a roughly $9 million budget, this brought in over $25 million. Not bad at all.
Then there’s the style.
There is zero question that this is a modern giallo film. Aside from the obvious fact that it’s set in Italy with a mostly Italian cast, all of the story beats, cinematography, and music choices are right in line with the giallo classics of the 70s and 80s.
Oh, and the amount to blood is pretty much in line with most of the giallo films, too. It’s just that here they save most of that for the end of the movie.
Still, if you’re familiar with the work of Bava, Argento, or Fulci, you’ll recognize shots and similar music stings in this film. It’s not subtle about it.
Overall, this is a really solid, well-paced, well-acted, and atmospheric bit of religious horror.
It also contains one of the more chilling little quotes that, in the real world, has been used to justify more than a few atrocities: “If this is not the will of God, why does God not stop us?”
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