Sydney Sweeney's horror movie Immaculate lands fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating
Sydney Sweeney's new horror movie Immaculate has landed a pretty good rating on Rotten Tomatoes now that the reviews have come out.
The film, which Sweeney auditioned for 10 years ago and ended up rescuing from development hell through her production company, follows a woman who tries to escape her past in a convent but soon discovers it has a sinister secret.
The actress and Immaculate director Michael Mohan have spoken about the influence of the Handmaid's Tale (which she starred in), and its "wild" ending. Judging by its 77% score on Rotten Tomatoes, reviewers found it a bit more B-movie but felt like it was anchored by Sweeney's performance.
Here's what a handful of the reviews have said (as a reminder, RT scores are based on what percentage of critics liked a film, rather than an average of their scores):
Digital Spy - 4/5
"If certain moments in Immaculate evoke The Nun or Prey for the Devil (namely, nuns roaming candle-lit corridors and LOUD-NOISE jump scares), its final act and bravura ending are a fitting tribute to that era. And through it all you have Sweeney confirming yet again that she's one of the most exciting actors of her generation."
The Guardian - 4/5
"The Euphoria and Anyone But You actor is the kind of familiar presence whose pop cultural imprint is so large that it threatens to trample over her characters. It doesn't help that Sweeney rarely if ever switches up her distinct millennial drawl or the endearingly self-conscious way she carries herself, which practically breaks the illusion and invites the conflation between her own public persona and the people she plays.
"For some movies, that could be detrimental. But Immaculate, a fun and nasty little throwback to Rosemary's Baby and giallo films like Suspiria, is all the better for it."
Empire - 3/5
"Immaculate has the look of something as lightly spooky as the Nun films, but is prepared to go a lot further — abetted by a committed lead performance — than your average haunted convent picture."
Associated Press (negative)
"If anything, it is a great showcase for Sweeney's range (she gets to go from somewhat meek to primal scream) and is full of interesting visuals, beautiful costumes and accomplished makeup work showing all manner of bloody, mangled faces and limbs. But it's also a movie that does not seem as sure of itself or the point it's trying to make."
Variety (positive)
"The film inorganically leans heavily on a few well-executed but empty jump scares and unusually loud sound effects to unsettle, along with the threat of these black-hooded figures with red face masks who look cool but whose presence and reach is never entirely addressed. Far more effective is the presentation of the convent, beautifully shot by Columbus director of photography Elisha Christian as an endless series of corridors."
Immaculate is released in cinemas on March 22.
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