AGNES: A Review Of The New Horror/Drama Film

Introduction

Cinema Scholars reviews Agnes, a disjointed horror/drama about a young ex-nun, and her plight after leaving the church. The film is the latest by independent film director Mickey Reese. Agnes will be released theatrically and on demand on December 10, 2021.

Synopsis

Mary, Molly C. Quinn and her best friend, Agnes, Hayley McFarland, are young twenty-something nuns in a strict convent. Agnes has been suffering from a supposed demonic possession. A priest, Father Donaghue, played by Ben Hall, is sent with his acolyte Benjamin, played by Jake Jorowitz, to investigate and treat Agnes of her malady. After a botched exorcism, tragedy strikes, and Mary is disheartened. Conflicted, she goes back to the real world to process the trauma of her past, and to iron out her own inner demons.

Analysis

Fraught with enormous plot holes and partially developed characters, Agnes struggles to maintain a sense of convalescence or horror. The story omits all crucial moments that would gain depth for the film. Scenes meander with little connection between them. Plot-wise the film is fragmented and goes nowhere, even at its conclusion.

The catastrophic, cut-to-black ending is frankly laughable. There is no explanation for any of the supernatural elements, or even for the scenes just prior to this ridiculous finish. From top to bottom, Agnes simply lacks continuity or purpose. Each act feels like the beginning of a movie, and not the continuance of the previous act. Writers Mickey Reese and John Selvidge seemed to forget that narrative arcs have a curve.

Performances

When it comes to performances, Agnes offers it’s only gems. Many of the actors do a fantastic job and Reese shines as a director. If only his work were more well-rounded in this movie. The main character, Mary, is played by Molly C. Quinn. She plays her role a little too dead pan. She isn’t terrible, just not very affecting. Her role should emote deep inner turmoil and loss of faith. Instead, her portrayal just emotes numbness.

Ben Hall, in his short role, fully commits to his performance. He holds the camera beautifully and really pops in the movie. It’s a shame that he’s written off after the first act with no explanation. He, like the point of this movie, vanishes, leaving you hanging on for substance.

Jake Horowitz, as Benjamin is great. It would have been nice to see more of him. He carries an earnest delivery of lines and is effortlessly enigmatic. Horowitz blesses the messy project with grounding energy. His character is introduced as if a major player in the film, but soon disappears. He comes back in the final scene, offering a bit more of his talent.

Another stand out is Chris Sullivan, as Mary’s scummy employer, Curly. He brings on a palpable creep factor that transcends through the screen. Although it’s not clear how he impacts Mary’s arc, he gives a fabulous performance.

There are a few engaging scenes with Chris Browning. He portrays an ex-priest turned celebrity exorcist, Father Black. He’s a fantastic turn of energy. With his introduction, the film shows hope of transitioning into a fun B-movie possession flick. Sadly, he’s killed off rather quickly in ridiculous fashion. Or so it seems, as you never really learn his fate.

Writing

While the story is written poorly, there are moments of solid and believable dialogue. Gratefully, they offer a reprieve and highlight some of the decent performances mentioned above. Unfortunately, like buoys in a stormy sea, they can’t salvage a sinking ship, but instead give a moment of balance within the turmoil. There just isn’t enough substance in them to redeem the film.

One could argue that there is a wry humor in the movie, but it doesn’t quite land. The tone and performances are too serious. If the filmmakers intended the disconnection and awkward plot for a subversive reason, it’s lost in poor execution.

Technical Aspects

The editing is goofy from the beginning and lacks transition, much like the writing. There is also an obtuse incorporation of half-assed arthouse moments. Sadly, they don’t tie in any meaning. Blocking, especially in the early convent scenes is awkward, and overly staged. The film would do better to be butchered into a montage for a music video.

Probably the best technical aspect is the lighting in all but the possession scenes. As a result, they lack a hellish feel. The make up and hair for Agnes was awful. As such, the palate of make up felt like it was sourced from a cheap Halloween kit.

In Conclusion

One would do well to steer away from Agnes. It’s a grueling experience to hang on to until the end. There isn’t much to enjoy, and zero emotional impact to feel. Perhaps the film was reaching for an ironic quality. A better conclusion would be there are better ways to spend an hour and thirty-three minutes.

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