One of many first pictures in Consecration is a nun pointing a gun—a direct indication of the movie’s spooky non secular themes, in addition to its tendency to not be refined about them. Thankfully, gorgeous Scottish surroundings, a powerful efficiency by Jena Malone, and a reasonably intriguing thriller assist stability that out.

“I used to consider in nothing. Now I’m not so certain,” Grace (Malone) tells us originally. Contemplating Grace proves to be an unreliable narrator, it’s greatest to strategy what she says and sees with a dose of skepticism, since her standpoint contains hallucinations and disconcerting flashbacks. Harshly actual, nevertheless, is the truth that her brother Michael, a priest, has died at an remoted convent in Scotland underneath disturbing circumstances. He’s the one household that issues to her—Grace was adopted and doesn’t know something about her background—so she travels from London to research.

The native detective (Thoren Ferguson) is surprisingly accommodating, as is Father Romero (Danny Huston), who’s been despatched from the Vatican to re-consecrate the church. Much less pleasant are the resident nuns and their Mom Superior (Janet Suzman), who’re a part of what the cop calls an “excessive sect” and who blame Father Michael’s demise on “a demon.” Mount Saviour Convent itself is a picturesque however ominous place, marked by an earthquake-damaged cliffside chapel that dates again to the Crusades.

Grace is straight away affected each bodily and mentally; after a fainting spell sends her tumbling into the ocean, she’s left with out a mobile phone and nothing to put on besides a loaner nun’s behavior. Studying Michael’s journals helps deliver again reminiscences of their troubled childhood, in addition to feed her rising suspicion that there’s a cover-up afoot relating to his demise. All of the whereas, she’s affected by violent visions of the previous and future that information the viewers to patchwork collectively the actual purpose Michael was drawn to Mount Saviour within the first place… and why everyone seems to be seemingly appearing so surprisingly round Grace.

Directed and co-written by Christopher Smith (The Banishing), Consecration hits a turning level the place All Is Revealed, which suggests the viewers will get out of pondering an excessive amount of about whether or not or not its items truly match collectively. If Grace’s journey feels a bit apparent in the long run—this can be a film the place a personality who can “see” issues additionally occurs to be a watch physician—at the least Malone, who does a convincing British accent, makes it a fairly enthralling one. And in the event you dig gothic horror, wind-swept ruins, and non secular skulduggery, Consecration has all three in droves.

Consecration arrives in theaters Friday, February 10.

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