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.

It started out really good and as I was thinking that it would be a great horror film everything changed when after some time it became a drama and a pretty boring drama with nothing to offer I was so excited for nothing and it left me with a lot of questions.

Greetings again from the darkness. William Friedkin's 1973 movie THE EXORCIST, adapted from William Peter Blatty's novel, shook the movie world at the time. It even garnered 10 Oscar nominations, winning two (Best Sound, Best Adapted Screenplay). Over the nearly 50 years since, there have been five sequels in the franchise, and it has inspired countless genre movies, including parodies and knock-offs. Writer-Director Mickey Reece and co-writer and frequent collaborator John Selvidge deliver a set-up that leads us to believe we are in for yet another faith-based horror film focusing on demonic possession. Instead, what follows is more like two distinct stories.

Hayley McFarland (THE CONJURING, 2013) plays the titular Sister Agnes, and her outburst during a group meal with her fellow nuns startles us, and leads the Mother Superior (Mary Buss) to request assistance from the Catholic Church to address what appears to be demonic possession of Agnes. Chosen for the mission are a contrasting oddball pair of priests. The young, full of faith, not yet ordained Benjamin (Jake Horowitz, THE VAST OF NIGHT), and the elder, cynical, soon-to-be-banished Father Donaghue (Ben Hall) are sent to administer the exorcism ... a process that Father Donaghue views as a convenient "out" for the one suffering.

The priests arrive at the convent, making for an interesting and uncomfortable dynamic. The exorcism takes a nasty turn that stuns Benjamin and the nuns, and leaves Donaghue humiliated and damaged. Desperate for the right step, Father Black (Chris Browning), a celebrity priest, is called in, along with his strange and out-of-place chain-smoking travel partner. This attempt at dispensing the demon goes no better than the first, but it's here where some will find a touch of dark humor and really get a sense of filmmaker Reece's unconventional style of storytelling. Reece then shifts our attention and the film's focus to Mary (Molly C Quinn, "Castle"), Agnes's best friend in the convent. After the incidents with Agnes, Mary's faith is shaken. She turns in her habit and heads out into the real world. The entire perspective shifts as we follow Mary's attempt to find her place ... searching for something to believe in while struggling to pay the rent, and fending off unwelcome advances and oddball co-workers.

Mary's naivety is not an asset to her in this new life, and she does connect with stand-up comedian Paul (Sean Gunn), who was once in a relationship with Agnes. The character of Paul injects yet another dimension here, but we never lose sight of what Mary is going through. The topics of power and faith stand out most as we work through the film. Those expecting a traditional horror movie may be disappointed after the first act, while those open to some dark humor may be rewarded.

In theaters and VOD beginning December 10, 2021.

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.

"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.