Consecration

Consecration was a very pleasant surprise: a fine production and cast, on top some story in the line of movies a la The Exorcist or The Medusa Touch (Richard Burton, 1978) and the like. Mostly I watched this one because of Jena Malone and I was not disappointed - her fine performance gives Grace, our by mysteries and death surrounded hero, gestalt, depth. Consecration is for sure no movie for the pure gorehound or for those who want the simple pleasures of a slasher movie served, but rather for those who can enjoy a slowly unfolding plot sugared by some dark atmosphere and fine settings. No doubt, this one is no masterpiece but an entertaining snack for the connoisseurs of previously mentioned movies.

Greetings again from the darkness. Horror films and religion are a match made in heaven ... so to speak. The linking of demonic possession and religious artifacts pre-dates cinema, and yet has long been a key element on the big screen. The effect of the cross on Dracula is one example, and of course, the priest visiting young Regan in THE EXORCIST is one for the ages. So many other examples exist that entire books have been written on the topic. It's because of this history that we quickly accept the setting and groundwork of this latest from writer-director Christopher Smith (TRIANGLE, 2009) and co-writer Laurie Cook.

Optometrist Grace (Jena Malone) lives alone with her cat when she is notified that her brother (Steffan Cennydd), a priest, is dead. Supposedly he killed a senior priest before committing suicide. Grace is immediately suspicious of the story and decides to conduct her own investigation. She travels to the convent, located on the edge of an oceanside cliff in a remote area of Scotland, where she discusses the case with Detective Harris (Thoren Ferguson). They both have serious doubts that Mother Superior's (Janet Suzman) chronicle of events is accurate.

Father Romero (Danny Huston) arrives on assignment from the Vatican in order to re-consecrate the convent, and to do so, he must ensure that the truth in the case is disclosed. Adding an element is Grace's admission to being "indifferent" towards God, which of course, makes her a target of the nuns, including a creepy "peek-a-boo" nun played by Elidih Fisher.

The initial set up with Grace and her arrival are extremely well done, and Ms. Malone proves yet again why she has long been a favorite. The good vs evil stage is set, and then filmmaker Smith begins the twists and misdirection. Flashbacks to Grace's childhood are a bit heavy-handed and used to spell out a bit too much, and some of these are simply too obvious and generate a few too many eye-rolls. Mr. Huston is always solid in whatever supporting role he plays, but fans of Jena Malone will likely be somewhat disappointed in a movie that doesn't take full advantage of her presence. Regardless of that, the Scotland countryside is shown in its full glory and that's quite a sight. Just don't expect as much from a horror movie that's just trying too hard.

In theaters beginning February 10, 2023.

First off, shout outs to Jena Malone who looks fantastic. And now the film. This was a solid watch from start to finish that falls into the suspense religious somewhat embodiment of the supernatural. A story of a journey of a woman who's past, present and future all come together in real time, for the unveiling of who she has been since a child. Cast, story, the religious backdrop, all made a good bit of sense only because of what you find out in the ending part of the film. And I did like how the story did project that mother superior was the person you would have suspected for her nefarious persona only to find out just the opposite. Although the films are not similar, I could not help get the same vibe when I watched the Sixth Sense. Not a horror film but a decent suspense thriller.

I'm writing this review because those I've recently seen (e.g. On the Roger Ebert site), clearly didn't understand what they were watching and what the actual story was. They WANTED a character drama in the cliched sense, when what they got was a mystic mystery of sorts. If you're patient and attentive, you'll understand it all comes together at the end. This is not one of Smith's best, but it's definitely good. It's also completely devoid of sickening Hollywood trends that have made so much of entertainment into an excuse to bash the viewer in the face with ideology.

Consecration is recommended for serious horror fans.

The movie has been terribly misrepresented and misquoted as a horror while, in reality, it tends to lean more towards the genre of murder/mystery thrillers rather than a gloomy, atmospheric fear flick, contrary to what the trailers may have earlier suggested.

The creators should have been more sincere in their promotional strategies because if you are not honest about your work, the audience has a harder time deciding what to expect and what not to and that could backfire and In this case, I believe it is about to turn sour as well.

The film itself isn't half bad, and neither are the concepts it attempts to explore, but I'm worried that subverting viewers' expectations won't go down well with most of them, it didn't with me that's for certain.