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Immaculate (2024 film)

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Immaculate
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichael Mohan
Written byAndrew Lobel
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyElisha Christian
Edited byChristian Masini
Music byWill Bates
Production
companies
Distributed byNeon
Release dates
  • March 12, 2024 (2024-03-12) (SXSW)
  • March 22, 2024 (2024-03-22) (United States)
Running time
89 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Immaculate is a 2024 American psychological horror film directed by Michael Mohan and written by Andrew Lobel. The film stars Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli, and Simona Tabasco.

Immaculate had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 12, 2024 and is scheduled to be released in North America by Neon on March 22, 2024.

Plot

Sister Cecilia turned to religion at a very young age after she nearly drowned in a frozen lake and was declared dead for seven minutes, feeling that God saved her for a purpose. After her original parish closed due to low attendance, she receives an invitation from Father Sal Tedeschi to join a more exclusive convent in Italy that tends to dying nuns in their last days. Cecilia soon befriends Gwen, another nun, who observes that this convent seems to attract the lost and the broken, citing how she turned to religion after escaping an abusive relationship.

As she spends more time in the convent, Cecilia is struck by certain oddities in their way of life, such as one of the elder nuns having scars on her feet in the shape of crucifixes, and a nail that is said to have been taken from the cross where Jesus was crucified. After a nightmare where she is taken from her bed by robed figures, Cecilia is shocked when a medical examination confirms that she is pregnant, even though she is a virgin and has never had relations with a man.

As the pregnancy progresses, Cecilia is shocked when another nun, Sister Isabella, tries to drown her, ranting about how it "should have been her". During a period of morning sickness, Cecilia even throws up one of her own teeth, but her request to be taken to a proper hospital is denied. After Isabella dies by suicide by jumping off the roof of the convent, Gwen tries to appeal to the other nuns to see that there is something wrong with the situation, but she is taken away. Sneaking out at night, Cecilia is horrified to witness the Mother Superior literally cutting out Gwen's tongue. She also discovers a strange laboratory in the basement of the convent.

As she reaches her third trimester, Cecilia tries to escape the convent by faking a miscarriage using a dead chicken, but the deception is exposed before she can get away. Father Tedeschi explains to her that he was a geneticist before becoming a priest, and used DNA samples taken from the crucifixion nail to create a new Jesus, although it took twenty years until he had his success with Cecilia.

Disturbed at the possibility that her child could save or end the world as written in Revelation[2] Cecilia makes another attempt to escape, beating the Mother Superior with her crucifix. Cecilia's water breaks as she starts to leave, but she manages to strangle the cardinal with her rosary before heading down to Tedeschi's lab and dousing it in ethanol. Tedeschi finds her and tries to stop her leaving, but Cecilia manages to lock the door of the lab and start a fire using the Cardinal's cigarette lighter.

When a badly-burned Tedeschi puts out the fire and breaks out of the lab, Cecilia is forced to flee into the catacombs under the convent, finding Gwen's corpse during her escape. She discovers a tunnel leading outside, but Tedeschi catches her and almost cuts her open before she manages to stab him with his own scalpel. Emerging from the tunnel, Cecilia gives birth, biting through the umbilical cord herself. She then takes a rock and prepares to smash it down on the child, but the film fades to black as she brings the rock down.

Cast

Production

In October 2022, it was announced Sydney Sweeney had joined the cast of the film, with Michael Mohan directing from a screenplay by Andrew Lobel, with Sweeney serving as a producer under her Fifty-Fifty Films banner.[3] In February 2023, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli and Simona Tabasco joined the cast of the film.[4][5]

Principal photography took place in Rome,[4] and concluded by February 2023.[6]

Release

In December 2023, Neon acquired US distribution rights to the film.[7] It had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 12, 2024.[8][9] It is scheduled to be released on March 22, 2024.[10]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 69% of 29 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Immaculate in conception if not always in execution, this religiously themed horror outing is saved by a divine performance from Sydney Sweeney."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 47 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Immaculate (18)". BBFC. March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Revelation 12". wikisource.org. Bible (King James)/Revelation. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  3. ^ Grobar, Matt (October 28, 2022). "Sydney Sweeney Set For Black Bear Pictures' Psychological Horror 'Immaculate' From Director Michael Mohan". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  4. ^ a b MacCary, Julia (February 13, 2023). "Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli and More Join Sydney Sweeney in Black Bear Pictures' 'Immaculate' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  5. ^ Cordero, Rosy (February 17, 2023). "Simona Tabasco Joins Sydney Sweeney In Psychological Horror Film 'Immaculate'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  6. ^ Sweeney, Sydney [@sydney_sweeney] (February 17, 2023). "I just wrapped the first film I've ever produced, Immaculate, with the most amazing cast and crew. I can't even begin to describe what an amazing experience it's been these past few months in Rome. I've learned so much and can't wait to share all the madness we created with you ♥️". Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Instagram.
  7. ^ Grobar, Matt (December 19, 2023). "Sydney Sweeney Horror 'Immaculate' Acquired By Neon". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  8. ^ "Immaculate". South by Southwest. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  9. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 7, 2024). "SXSW 2024 Second Wave Includes Pics With Sydney Sweeney, Nicolas Cage, Camila Mendes & 'Monkey Man'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Squires, John (January 24, 2024). "'Immaculate' – NEON Releasing Sydney Sweeney Horror Movie in March [Poster]". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "Immaculate". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 14, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  12. ^ "Immaculate". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
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