December 9, 2024 – I've been watching a lot of horror films lately, because it is awards season, and a lot of them cross my desk this time of year. Until now, they haven't seemed all that horrible, like “Heretic”, “Cuckoo” and “Longlegs”, but this one was too horrible for my taste.

The troubled production of this film dates back to 2014, when star Sydney Sweeney (“Anyone But You”) was a relative unknown. She auditioned for the role and later, after she became a star, purchased the rights to the story.

I've seen Sweeney in three films, including one even earlier in her career, and she's never been better. This is a real tour de force performance, and I can see why she wanted to star in this film. If she was not already a star, this movie would have made her one.

The story, pretty much the opposite of “A Nun's Story” (1959) is about Sister Cecilia (Sweeney) who moves from the U.S. to Italy to become a nun in a convent which has been set up like a nursing home to care for the needs of elderly nuns.

Cecilia is urged to leave by another nun, who, of course, does not explain why. The reason later becomes obvious. This convent is a house of horrors, where torture, mutilations and murder take place.

After Cecelia witnesses one of these terrible crimes, she tries to escape, but is caught by the man who recruited her, Father Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte of “Mirage”). It turns out that Tedeschi is a mad scientist who has been conducting experiments on nuns at the convent for years, and Cecelia is his latest victim.

After being kidnapped, tortured, mutilated and experimented upon, Cecelia has had enough, and fights back. There is murder and torture against women from one end of the movie to the other, all in the name of God. What could be more religious than that?

Director Michael Mohan (“The Voyeurs”) has stated that many of the scenes in this film are based on his own Catholic upbringing. Needless to say, this movie is not a good recruiting tool for those interested in joining the Catholic Church, or becoming a nun. Many horror films have misogynistic elements, and this film is no exception.

It seems to me that women, and even religion, deserve better. Religion used to be shown more positively in movies, and it still is, in some movies, like “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” and “Cabrini”, but all too often, both are shown in a very negative way. Both religious people, and feminists, feel they are under attack in movies like this, and they have right to complain.

I have nothing against anti-religious (or politically incorrect) movies if there is a point to them. My problem with this movie is not that it is anti-religious — it is just morally painful to sit through. If I have to watch people tortured, mutilated and killed, in the name of entertainment, there ought to, at least, be a point to the story. Nothing here is redeemed, edified, or affirmed. This is just naked survival, nihilism and revenge. That is not good enough for me. This movie rates a C.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff (no extra charges apply). I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

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