Introduction
My reaction to another nun-inspired horror film was, initially I thought, one not worth mentioning. However, concerning Sydney Sweeney’s pop culture imprint and my following her career from the early days, I thought it only right to give it a try. This is despite my usual ignorance of the nunsploitation of horror. Surprisingly, I wasn’t disappointed! Immaculate, while obviously named, somewhat predictable, and lacking any substantial character development, kept me hooked and genuinely on the edge of my seat. While the crossover of a Sydney Sweeney and violent gore fan may not be too common, if that’s you, you’re going to love this film.
Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney has widened her career and noted abilities once more by placing herself as the star of Immaculate, a religious, psychological horror film that also she co-produced. The actor has finally added ‘scream queen’ to the long list of acting abilities and remarkable appearances the 26-year-old has made in her ever-expanding career.
Iconic, influential, and hugely explorable, it seems Sweeney has capitalized again on the sexualization of herself by the media and public. The result is helping to create a film in which oxymoronically she remains decent and modest while generating a timely commentary on a woman’s bodily autonomy and the exploitation of them via powerful men.
From a feminist reading, the films’ underlying social, authoritative, and religious commentary is one of significance and ever-standing importance. It’s also embedded in a somewhat half-explored, shock-fest-style horror. Undeniably, Sweeney’s presence and ability give the film what it needs to achieve what it desires. Even while Immaculate itself leaves something to be desired concerning the exploration of its themes – more on that later.
Synopsis
Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) is first placed in front of border control agents, who eye her animalistically and comment on the waste that they interpret by Sister Cecilia devoting her body to Christ. Cecilia’s initial naivety and sweet nature, emphasized by her inability to understand Italian men, sets the tone of male authority and the undermining of females. This proceeds throughout the plot of Immaculate.
Cecilia represents a typical wide-eyed, naïve young girl, who is devout due to her death and resurrection. Upon losing her initial place in her original Detroit parish, she craves finding her own home and place within the religious community. Conveniently Father Sal Tedeshchi (Alvaro Morte) finds her and invites her to join them in their convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. A picture indefinitely too good to be true.
Once Cecilia arrives, she meets many questionable characters, who, much like Cecilia herself, undergo no character development whatsoever, remaining mysteries. This is a clear deliberate production element. However, the lack of character development is not massively subsided with anything subversive enough to make up for it. Thus, leaving a significant amount to be desired from the individuals.
Sister Isabella (Giulia Heathfield Di Renzi), who presents a keen dislike towards Cecilia, tells her it is not too late to return to America. Cecilia however, with nowhere to return to, has gracefully accepted her place within the convent, interpreting Isabella’s behavior as threatening rather than warning: though both are intended.
The Plot Thickens
After settling entirely into the convent, a place constructed as a training ground for young nuns, and hospice for elderly ones, Cecilia’s experience is effectively dramatized into a few angelic montages, less angelically containing the convents necessity for the nuns to slaughter a chicken – which surprisingly becomes a key motif. The plot heightens when Cecilia is discovered to be pregnant, despite being a virgin, as the movie’s title suggests, an Immaculate conception.
The question arises, is this a true religious miracle, an act of Christ himself, or, in line with the movie’s horror: a man’s misuse of power? While gripping the plot genuinely is, the latter prevailed and Father Sal Tedeshcis’s true intentions are revealed, without spoiling too much, though most remaining obvious, Cecilia is not his first attempt at impregnating a young nun with the supposed second coming of Christ.
Exploitation
On Cecilia’s discovery of this, she states his playing of God, to which he responds, ‘If it is wrong, why hasn’t God stopped me.’ Whether or not Cecilia questions her devout religious nature as a result of this isn’t confirmed, however, the films’ use of creepy religious imagery, unsettling Christian theology, and twisted rituals exploits further the ease of demonizing and fear-mongering religion and religious attitudes, especially in instances of close-knit religious communities which act as a private sphere from wider society.
This ultimately encapsulates the ease of the genre, and why the nunsploitation of horror has become so widespread. Cecilia’s discovery entices an entire personality shift as she becomes vengeful, angry, and disrupted, a complete switch from her previous nature. Adamant about not only escaping the corrupt convent but of aborting her unborn child she attempts to escape and becomes murderous in the face of desperation. Ultimately escaping and murdering the implied, demonic baby (who we very unfortunately do not get to see) with a rock.
Analysis
While the film succeeds in many aspects, there are many presented failures and mishaps (other than not getting to see the demon child). The film fails to explore the plot lines set up, like the women in the red masks, what was their purpose? Who were they? Who is the girl at the beginning who attempts escape and is buried alive? Cecilia’s previous? Despite the questions left unanswered, the film effectively creates and maintains an eerie atmosphere, using aesthetics and a fixed unnerving energy.
In my opinion, this nunsploitation of horror, is a successful one, even in the interpretation of someone who normally has minimal time for the genre. The gore, scare, and violence create a shock fest rather than an elevated horror, kitted out with all our favorite typical tropes such as creepy halls, falling pictures, shadows, cheap jump scares, and broken flashlights.
Conclusion
While Immaculate could have been better, it effectively achieves what it sets out to and maintains a somewhat gripping sequence fit with all the violence and gore one could desire. Immaculate marks a turning point in Sydney Sweeney’s career, branding her a scream queen, though considering the final scene, Sweeney could be, in this moment regarded as the queen of screams as she takes over the horror scene.
Not only expanding her career and prospects but leaving an audience with a memorable scream, aided with an equally memorable psychological horror. All the while portraying a relevant and ironic commentary on the abuse of female bodies, once again Sydney Sweeney has successfully dominated the world of film in yet another genre.
