Immaculate is a 2024 horror thriller directed by Michael Mohan, from a screenplay by Andrew Lobel, with Sydney Sweeney serving as a producer under her Fifty-Fifty Films banner. The project was financed by Black Bear Pictures, the company behind films like Our Friend, Little Fish (our full review here), I Care A Lot, and Dumb Money (our full review here), and acquired by Neon for distribution.

Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarks on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

The cast includes Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli, and Simona Tabasco.

Immaculate made its debut in theaters on March 22nd, courtesy of Neon.

THE GOOD

I feel like for every horror movie I review I talk about how much I love horror movies so I will spare you unnecessary rambling, but I will say that I have been begging for a good R-rated horror movie to hit theaters. Now it is certainly possible to make a quality horror film with a PG-13 rating, but the task is a bit more difficult in my opinion. Now I recently watched the indie horror film Stopmotion (our full review here), and although it was R-rated it almost felt like the rating was wasted. That movie could have been PG-13, no doubt in my mind.

I also recently watched the horror film Imaginary (our full review here), which is PG-13, and although most people have been trashing on that movie it was pretty good and an example of making the most of that rating. But back to what I was saying, I have been desperate for a horror movie with an R-rating, and after watching the trailer for Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate I was very much intrigued. So, was I finally able to scratch that itch, or was this yet another failed attempt at giving viewers something that will last well after the end credits? Keep reading to find out!

Please excuse my language but this movie was fucking intense. I consider myself to have a very high tolerance and not only did Immaculate have me cringing more times than I can count, my mouth was literally wide open as the screen went black and the end credits appeared. As always this review will be 100% spoiler-free, but I will find a way to try and express just how hard this movie hits. As a horror fan, I want a film to stick with me after seeing it, to follow me home and have me checking the dark corners of every room before I go to bed. I’m not as interested in jump scares or a typical ghost story that really doesn’t hold as much weight outside the four walls of the theater.

A good example that comes to mind is Ari Aster’s Hereditary (our full review here), and although it does have some of those supernatural elements, the film has several real-life influences that followed me home from the theater. That is probably why I watched this movie three times in theaters, plus I couldn’t get enough of bringing people to see it for the first time and seeing their reaction to certain scenes. Another good example is The Night House (our full review here), which tells a story rooted in real-life tragedy. Bottom line, Immaculate is a brutal religious horror thriller that does not hold anything back. The storytelling is top-notch, the acting is as good as it gets, and the technical elements elevate what culminates in a truly satisfying cinematic experience. I feel like with horror movies it is usually pretty easy to pick out which element of the film was put on the backburner, but with Immaculate all of the boxes that matter are checked with purpose.

Let’s take a minute to talk about the acting because it is ridiculously good. Sydney Sweeney, who is a producer on the project and from what I have read was very involved beyond just starring in the film, was simply amazing. Her role is not for the faint of heart and she embodies this character in every conceivable way, and to be honest I may forever look at her differently. She was simply that good in this. Throughout the film I kept thinking to myself this is such a difficult role to play because of the emotional toll it would take on someone given the subject matter. I won’t go much more in-depth than that but trust me when I say Sweeney deserves to be recognized for this performance, simple as that. Unfortunately horror movies are notoriously snubbed come awards season, but maybe Immaculate will find a way to break the trend.

Although Sweeney leads the way, the supporting cast is fantastic as well. Simone Tabasco, who, like Sweeney, starred in the HBO series The White Lotus, has limited screen-time but definitely left her mark. I really enjoyed the performance delivered by the gorgeous Benedetta Porcaroli in her role as the nun that befriends Sweeney as she gets acclimated to this mysterious convent. Porcaroli, a fairly unknown but very talented Italian actress, is seriously great here and I felt like her performance and chemistry with Sweeney helped to elevate the overall effectiveness of the film. The most influential role in the film aside from Sweeney was played by Álvaro Morte as he portrayed the charismatic Father Sal Tedeschi. The Spanish actor plays the film’s primary antagonist who first appears to be an ally to Sweeney’s character but slowly reveals his more sinister motives. I thought Morte was absolutely fantastic, and the film does not work as well as it does without him.

Immaculate is that rare horror film that does pretty much everything at a high level, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement. The storytelling is unmatched as I was intrigued from the start and never lost interest, not even for a second. The pacing of the film is pretty much perfect without a single wasted scene thanks to some great editing work. The film clocks in at around an hour and 30 minutes and it really flies by. Oftentimes you will be too busy cringing to be bored, trust me. Right from the start I was in awe of the cinematography and the camera work as we were treated to some powerful shots of this historic convent in the Italian countryside. The score from Will Bates, who crushed it with Dumb Money (our full review here) last year, was absolutely fantastic.

For me a horror film needs to set the tone with a certain feel that is only possible when the cinematography and score blend together seamlessly, and they really hit the nail on the head here. Immaculate feels dark and very real which allowed me as a viewer the opportunity to be fully immersed in what was happening on-screen, and for my money what more can you ask for? Admittedly I am obsessed with films that place a premium on cinematography and score, but it is rare that I have the opportunity to experience them on this level within the horror genre. I recently re-watched David Lowery’s 2017 film A Ghost Story, and although I am not quite sure why it is even considered to be a horror film, the score and cinematography in that are incredible.

I need to give some well-deserved props to director Michael Mohan and screenwriter Andrew Lobel. Mohan really hasn’t worked on too many noteworthy projects aside from perhaps the 2021 Prime exclusive drama thriller The Voyeurs, which also starred Sydney Sweeney, but he has turned me into a believer. Immaculate without a doubt put him on my radar as a director to watch, and I expect that this film will open the door for future opportunities. Lobel, the man behind the screenplay for the film, is even more unknown than Mohan. His filmography is as bare bones as it gets including a 2005 horror short film called Delirium and the Dollman, which he wrote and directed.

Seemingly coming out of literally nowhere, Lobel contributed one of the better horror screenplays in recent memory. The story itself is damn near flawless in my opinion, but what is most terrifying about it is the fact that it really doesn’t seem that far-fetched, at least in my opinion. I assume Lobel has other ideas for future projects floating around in that twisted mind of his, and I hope he gets more opportunities in the future as well.

THE BAD

I try to offer disclaimers when it feels necessary in terms of the content that some people may be sensitive to, but where do I even start with Immaculate? I’m not even kidding, as I have made pretty clear during this review the movie is very intense. The film has some very graphic depictions of pregnancy and childbirth which is probably the main thing I should point out, also those of you who can’t handle the sight of someone throwing up should proceed with caution. It also includes some hard-to-watch body horror elements. But as far as issues I had with the film I honestly really don’t have any as it without a doubt exceeded my expectations.

THE VERDICT

A brutally intense religious horror thriller bolstered by a career-defining performance from talented actress Sydney Sweeney, Immaculate is the artistic embodiment of its title right down to a disturbing yet satisfying no-holds-barred final act. It really doesn’t matter how you want to break this film down because it just does everything extremely well, but as I talked about during my review it is not for the faint of heart. I still can’t get the image of a blood-soaked Sydney Sweeney screaming at the top of her lungs out of my mind, but trust me when I say I mean that as the ultimate compliment.

Plus whether it’s a nightmare or a dream, I don’t mind seeing her in my sleep. I mean seriously, what can’t she do?! Sweeney is quickly working her way up my list of favorite actresses, and if she does a coming-of-age movie next she may find her way into the top 3. Immaculate really is that good, and whether you consider yourself to be a fan of horror or not, you need to see this movie. Simple as that.

With Longlegs, Humane, The First Omen, and Abigail on the horizon, this could be the year for R-rated horror films.