by Jacob Kinman, Contributing Writer
When participating in the criticism of film and television, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing an actor you admire rise into notoriety and stardom. In today’s broader media landscape, it’s easier than ever to find this type of success, now that social media has allowed for much more access to a global audience. Therefore, the idea of a “movie star” has been diluted, at least compared to the old days, where movie culture and pop culture were mostly synonymous, and it’s difficult to name any under the age of 35. Yet in the sea of TikTok stars, Youtubers, and the like, some young actors still find themselves in the shoes of many movie stars, and we’re seeing that happen to Sydney Sweeney right now.
Most well-known for her role on the HBO drama Euphoria, Sweeney has recently been in a slew of popular movies, both on streaming and in theaters, including the hit romcom Anyone But You, co-starring fellow burgeoning movie star Glen Powell, and the infamous Madame Web, which was not popular in financial terms, but became a large part of popular culture due to its poor reviews. I wouldn’t know, because I refused to pay money to see it in theaters, but if I had, Sweeney would be the one and only reason. Not all actors have the natural beauty, charmm and radiance that she possesses, and that’s just the starting point of what it takes to make it big.
But what does it really mean to be a movie star in the context of the movie itself? It goes beyond top billing in the cast, or glamor shots, or magazine covers. A movie star must be able to completely take the brunt of a film on their shoulders and carry it from beginning to end. That’s exactly what Sweeney does in Immaculate.
This new horror film from the renowned independent production company, Neon, and director Michael Mohan — who has previously worked with Sweeney on the Netflix show Everything Sucks! and his previous film, The Voyeurs — centers around a young nun named Cecilia (Sweeney), who is recruited by Father Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) to join a remote Italian convent which takes care of elderly nuns. After experiencing morning sickness one day, Cecilia finds out she is pregnant, despite being entirely celibate. This is considered an immaculate conception, and Cecilia is treated as the next Virgin Mary. As time goes by, Cecilia begins to see the truth of how the church and convent are really involved in this occurrence, and finds out the danger that awaits both her and the world with the coming of her child.
I hesitate to say any more about the plot, because this film is quite the wild ride. At a lean 89 minutes, Immaculate tells its story swiftly and dynamically, without pulling any punches, and with loads of graphic violence, mutilation, and gore. The pacing works really well, in that it puts the jump scares at exactly the right moments, and each one uses great execution of sound and light, or lack thereof. There is one scene in particular involving a flashlight that may or may not work which had me terrified.
The marketing that Neon has created for Immaculate is just as unique as the film itself — there are many posters circulated for the film’s release that feature real, negative, online reviews from Christian viewers. Here’s just one example from Neon’s Instagram page:
“Diabolical, sacreligious, pure evil and grossly offensive. It is profane and has a third act that spits in the face of all that is holy. Just… evil.”
This type of marketing strategy is brilliant because it tells the audience exactly what they’re in for. You could watch the trailer for this film and, without knowing anything about the plot, assume that it isn’t going to be anywhere near “diabolical.” But if just seeing a description of a film like that were to offend you and lead you to believe that it would be even more offensive, especially since it’s hard to argue against someone else’s morality, then the viewing can be left to and enjoyed by the intended audience. Also, at least for me personally, seeing reviews like this just made me want to see Immaculate even more. I genuinely winced at several gory scenes in this film, but there is some part of me that really loves the evocative nature of that in a viewing experience, especially in a cinema.
What resonates with me the most about Immaculate is the clear metaphor it presents about how those in power, especially the Catholic Church, try to control women and the choices they make about their own bodies. Cecilia is a proxy for all the women who were forced to carry a child they didn’t want or didn’t consent to carrying, solely for the purposes of religion and so-called morality. This metaphor would be heavy-handed if not for Sweeney’s performance. She plays the naiveté and unbridled devoutness that Cecilia possesses perfectly, only supplementing the performance with her eventual corruption and loss of innocence when the church turns on her, transforming into someone who wants nothing but her own freedom.
Like any good movie, Immaculate really relies on its ending to bring the message and tone of the film home, and it truly delivers. It goes all out with the gore and violence, which shifts the power dynamic into Cecilia’s hands and gives her full autonomy over her fate; the tone essentially shifts to nunsploitation as Cecilia fights back against her demonic and sinister enemies who want her to bring forth a new messiah.
While this film is shot well, has a good script, and is genuinely scary, I don’t think it would work as well as it does without Sweeney carrying it. Immaculate feels like an old school movie star vehicle, both in its character construction and its boldness to show dark, disturbing imagery and convey very dark themes. You might even say they don’t make them like this any more, and they don’t. I know this is just one of the many starring roles that will be created for Sweeney as her career grows and flourishes.
Rating: High Side of Liked It
Immaculate is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Jacob Kinman, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd