Director Michael Mohan’s “Immaculate” finally premiered at SXSW after waiting in production limbo for years. Written by Andrew Lobel and produced by and starring Sydney Sweeney, the film follows Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) after entering an Italian convent. When doing her vows to become a nun, a second “immaculate conception” leads everyone into believing God bestowed upon her the second coming of Christ. Cecilia begins to realize, however, that hiding under a sea of lies proves a much more sinister truth.

Sweeney puts her acting abilities on full display throughout the entirety of the film’s runtime. Her skills as an actress have never been a secret, but her bone-chilling work as Cecilia might be the best performance yet. Audiences witness the demolition of a kind, young person as the truth and people around her become more and more horrific, making for a visceral experience that’ll engage viewers in ways most modern religious horror tend to do. The final act solidifies Sweeney as a modern scream queen and will leave audiences everywhere scrambling to see her perform in more horror movies.

Modern religious horror films feel so wash, rinse and repeat with no new concepts and mostly bland storytelling. Even worse, they tend to overdo it on the jumpscares. “Immaculate” subverts expectations by seeming like a typical run-of-the-mill nun horror flick before taking a drastic turn in a direction that feels incredibly refreshing for the subgenre by trying something new — something the Catholic church may deem sacrilege. The big reveal and twist of the film will send audiences’ jaws to the floor for the last 30 minutes of the roughly hour-and-a-half long film. The film utilizes the jump scares sprinkled throughout well, despite their too-high of frequency, thanks to great sound design from the sound team.

The biggest complaint audiences will have with the film comes in the script. “Immaculate” takes a slow burn approach by turning the horror dial up slowly throughout the first act before going bonkers by the end of the second act leading into the third (which the film conveniently showcased as the trimesters on the screen). Sitting through the slower parts might sound boring, but audiences will soon find the slow start worthwhile when the second and third act deliver in a big way that few horror films tend to get right.

Composer Will Bates crafts a memorable horror score that not only haunts audiences but allows them to be fully immersed in the world presented. It noticeably draws on the work of the great Italian filmmaker Dario Argento as many moments in the score pay homage to his 1977 art film “Suspiria.” The eerie score takes on a life of its own and pushes the narrative forward with its excellent instrumentation and consistent motifs.

The set decoration and cinematography go hand in hand as big elements that make “Immaculate” feel unique. Shot on-site in Rome, the film utilizes Catholic architecture in a way that appears both beautiful and haunting. The cold walls of the convent will leave audiences feeling unsafe and the shot composition of cinematographer Elisha Christian will leave audiences in awe and on the edge of their seats. 

“Immaculate” stands out as one of the best religious horror films in years. It takes its time to build up to one of the craziest final acts ever and gets carried by an excellent script, wonderful performances, especially from Sydney Sweeney, and a beautifully haunting score. If audiences want a real scare, they’ll catch it in theaters as soon as possible.

4 ½ blood-soaked nuns out of 5