Agnes

I was lured in to watching the 2021 horror drama "Agnes" on account of the movie having a rather interesting poster/cover, and also because the movie's synopsis sounded interesting. Sure, I hadn't even heard about this movie from writers Mickey Reece and John Selvidge prior to sitting down to watch it, so I had no idea what I was in for.

And boy, oh boy, this movie was a swing and a miss. Sure, it starts out okay and the first part of the movie, which takes place inside a confined convent was actually interesting, but then the movie nosedived and never recovered. What started out as an interesting horror movie ended up as an insanely boring drama about an ex-nun.

This movie from director Mickey Reece failed to entertain me or impress me. Sure, I enjoyed the first part of the movie, but it all unraveled when Sister Mary (played by Molly C. Quinn) upped and left the convent. At that point the movie just became pointless, and everything that director Mickey Reece had built up inside the convent segment just shattered like fragile porcelaine.

If you enjoy horror movies, like I do, don't succumb to the pitfall of sitting down to watch "Agnes", because this movie was a stinker. I wasted an hour and 33 minutes on this ordeal so you don't have to. But even the first part of the movie - the horror part in the convent - was pretty slow paced and never really came to any fruition, as it ended just as it started to become good.

My rating of "Agnes" lands on a most generous two out of ten stars. And what keeps the movie away from a single star rating is some adequate acting performances. But the script and storyline was just horrible, and the total change of genre along the way just broke the movie entirely.

The first section of AGNES plays out like your standard exorcism flick, complete with a disgraced veteran priest, an eager rookie, and a couple of mismatched nuns, including one who is allegedly possessed.

Then the film switches, without warning, to the future where Mary, friend of the possessed title character, has left the convent and is trying to find her way in the world among sleazy bosses and a muppet-looking stand up comic.

Packaged as a horror film, AGNES is more of a serious drama on religious contemplation, with the exorcism section acting as a prologue, and hence I don't think too many horror fans will be happy with it. As a quirky drama it's fine, and the goofy Father Black is worthy of his own film, but as it is AGNES is a case of either false advertising, or perhaps was packaged as a horror film as the distributor had no idea how to label it.

For nun/exorcism completists only.

People are right when they say only the first half is a conventional horror. It was weird, tongue-in-cheek, and perhaps even sorta entertaining horror. But then the second half emerges, and it feels like a completely new film. A more dramatic sequel, some might suggest. But absolutely not the film you started watching. And Lord, it was insufferable.

I spent a great deal of time trying to figure what in the world was that. The truth is that it was a horrible script made into an unnecessary, not scary, brain-damaging garbage helmed by one of the worst directing I've even had a displeasure to witness. The greatest mystery is how main actors agreed to participate. It's not that the budget was huge or creators were well-known and respected. Why was it made? Why had I punished myself by watching it completely although it became painful past the first hour? If you love Jesus or decent horror firms, avoid Agnes like a burning dumpster.

"Agnes" is slow paced, and has an unfocused plot. There's not much happening, and events are not well developed. The ending is very weak. Overall, it is not scary and not engaging.

What the hell was that?

2 semi cool scenes of demonic possession and then, nothing. In fact, it is like a second movie started. No explanations, no real backstory, no resolution.

I am baffled.

No redeeming value. A few good performances but they had nothing to work with. I am really astounded at how this movie ever got to the production stage.

I feel ripped off. Avoid this.