The Sydney Sweeney, American Eagle "controversy" allowed me to find Immaculate, and on Disney+, no less. In case you've not heard of it, Immaculate is a religious-bent, horror picture that snuck its way into (and now beyond) 2024.
Michael Morhan (who made The Voyeurs, also starring Ms. Sweeney), directed, with a story written by Andrew Lobel and coproduced by Sweeney. The result feels like a Poe tale intersected with The First Omen and Suspiria (either version), though with a distinct Rosemary's Baby undercurrent, as well as a progressing setup similar to the recent Heretic, albeit more spiritual than secular in its discourse.
The story deals with Sweeney's Sister Cecilia, a fledgling nun who seeks a path of devotion for having survived a drowning when she was young. She ends up in Italy, at an institution/convent that harbors elderly sisters in their final days, some of whom are afflicted by dementia. Alvaro Morte's Father Sal Tedeschi welcomes and encourages her to perfect her Italian, guiding her toward the other nuns, in particular Benedetta Porcaroli's friendly but quirky Sister Gwen.
Things take a strange turn when Sister Cecilia grows ill and is discovered to be pregnant, even though she's not had intercourse. Surprisingly, her condition is embraced by the community as divine, and from there the nuns grant her extra care, in anticipation of the holy baby's birth.
Of course, there's a catch, and it slithers from Father Sal, who has a penchant for biological experimentation. (He's rather like Heretic's Mr. Reed, but with a Victor Frankenstein slant.) On this basis, Sister Cecilia's immaculate conception appears more man-made than blessed, and from it, a shocking outcome springs.
Immaculate mounts its tension in a slow-burn manner, but there's a point where it breaks from its folk-ish foreboding and goes full-fledged Psycho, including one particular death that stings in its gory execution.
The nervous tit-for-tat between Cecilia and Sal keeps everything properly bridged, with Sweeney and Morte delivering excellent, convincing performances. (It should be noted that Sweeney is amazing to behold, even if her inherent glamor is downplayed, and those who've been quick to condemn her beauty should think twice, for there's no question that this young lady is a major star in the making, or at least should be if given the chance.)
I'm grateful to have discovered Immaculate, even if it segued through propagandist means. If one desires a solid, horror movie (molded in a less-than-ninety-minute format), this one should work its menacing charm, offering much to shiver to and ruminate upon.
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