An Honest Immaculate Review
Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney (she/her) and directed by Michael Mohan (he/him), was a good movie. That being said, it did not blow my mind. The plot was predictable and the messaging was heavy-handed. However, I enjoyed it. I don’t think it will become the next cult classic, but it is worth the watch. MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Within the first twenty minutes, I knew who the main antagonist was, what they did, and where the final chase scene would happen. If you know horror, you will know the way the plot moves. I was never surprised or caught off guard, which was disappointing.
The message of the movie was pretty clear: Christians put themselves in charge of a young pregnant woman who was inseminated without her consent. Horror has always been a reflection of society, and I don’t have a problem with horror movies tackling political issues. However, I don’t think it could get any more cut and dry. It felt like they were trying too hard to make a statement and they forgot to make a great horror film.
That being said, the visuals and performances are worth the watch. First of all, and I want to make this very clear: Sydney Sweeney’s performance forgives her for Madame Web. I had never seen Sweeney in anything before, and she made me a fan. As far as great horror performances go, Sweeney is a contender.
If gore gets to you, you might want to skip this one. I don’t think that it is any worse than a regular horror film, but there were definitely some scenes that made me squirm.
The visuals in this film were – well – immaculate! As someone who was forced to go to CCD for several years, the weeping Madonna image made me gasp. If there is one thing this movie does right, it is the visual balance of horror and beauty. The way the characters were framed, the costumes, the special effects, all of it was awe-worthy.
So did Immaculate change my life? No, but it is worth the watch if you are a horror fan or if you went to a Catholic school.
