Immaculate is an 1hour and 29 minute movie of nonstop horror and nail-biting twists and turns. Starring Sydney Sweeney, who plays plays the nun Cecilia, Alvaro Morte as Father Sal Tedeschi, Simona Tabasco is Sister Mary, Benedetta Porcaroli is Sister Gwen, Giorgio Colangeli is Cardinal Franco Merola and Dora Romano is the Mother Superior.
The movie starts with a strong opening scene where we watch as a nun tries and fails to escape from a convent, fading out with the sound of her screams. We then jump to the present where we are introduced to Cecilia, a young nun who has traveled to Italy to join a remote convent and take her vows. But what seems like a warm-welcome turns into a nightmare when the darker side of the convent is made known.
Cecilia is quickly thrown into conflict when the other members find out she is pregnant, but because she has been true to her vows the convent turns to celebration because it is believed she had conceived the next Christ. But this baby is much darker than it is believed to be, and Cecilia is not prepared for the horrors that will come due to this so-called blessing. As supposed friends turn on her and the people she thought she could trust play a part in this horrifying series of events, she gets through each trimester of her pregnancy.
She slowly realizes the darkness that surrounds her, as it becomes clear to her that the place she is in is not safe and she tries and fails to escape, leading Father Sal Tedeschi to reveal the darkness behind her conception and what it means for her and the rest of the convent.
Sweeney did an incredible job at conveying her character perfectly, taking us on her terrifying journey and making it almost feel as if you are in the Italian convent with her. This movie should come with a warning, though: it is quite gruesome and gut-wrenching at some points, so please be ready to be very disturbed.
The camera work is quite noteworthy, with many panning views of the landscape that just take your breath away. It is a slow-building horror so if you want a slasher, this is not the movie for you. But, if you like slow-building, dramatic horror, this is the perfect movie for you.
Lilly Giger can be reached at [email protected]