Sydney Sweeney seems to be having a moment. The 26-year-old actress has chalked up some pretty impressive credits that include THE HANDMAID’S TALE; EUPHORIA and THE WHITE LOTUS on TV, and ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD and ANYONE BUT YOU on film, the last of which also saw her serve as an executive producer. That film has so far taken in US$220 million at the box office off a production budget of just US$25 million. Assuming she received a percentage of the gross for her producer role, that’s a nice paycheque indeed. Sweeny has also produced her latest film, IMMACULATE, which has already turned a tidy profit since its release in the US at the end of March.

After a short introduction showing that something nefarious is going on at a secluded convent in Italy, Sister Cecilia (Sweeney), a young novice from Detroit, arrives there to begin her life in the service of G-d. As we learn, Cecilia had nearly drowned as a child and, since that time, she became convinced that G-d had chosen her for a higher purpose. With her parish closing, Italian priest Father Sal Tedeschi (Spanish actor Álvaro Morte) reached out and invited Cecilia to join the convent. Once settled in, Cecilia befriends Sister Gwen (Italian actress Benedetta Porcaroli), an outspoken nun who has her own history of trauma. A few days later, when Cecilia starts exhibiting symptoms of morning sickness, she is shocked to learn that she is pregnant as she is a virgin. The Father, Mother Superior and Cardinal are all convinced that hers is an immaculate conception and Cecilia’s standing in the convent is elevated much to the jealousy of another nun, Sister Isabelle (Giulia Heathfield). As Cecilia’s pregnancy progresses, she begins to understand that she has become a pawn in something unholy.

The best thing about IMMACULATE is that it’s just 89 minutes long. The editing is tight and the film doesn’t overstay its welcome. The story, however, is rather mundane and it doesn’t break any new ground in the nun horror subgenre. It’s also not very frightening. Director Michael Mohan (THE VOYEURS, which also stars Sweeney) throws in the usual jump scares – people suddenly appearing, nocturnal thuds and bumps, and jarring screams and moans – but perhaps they’re either too few and far between or we’ve just seen them too many times before to be moved. Why do so many characters in horror films enter dark rooms without turning on the lights? In IMMACULATE, Sister Cecilia takes a candle with her with she walks around the convent’s halls. Have you ever used a candle to light your way? It doesn’t give off very much light. And speaking of light, there is a washed-out palette for much of the film to inject some creepiness into the convent but its effect becomes muted when the blood starts flying. It would have been more powerful to have the red accented against the grey.

At least Sweeney gives the role her all. She’s very believable as the wide-eyed naif; less so when she starts taking control of her situation, meting out some not-so-Christian retribution. I’ll cut her some slack though and say that I was impressed overall. She has at least two more films in the pipeline – both thrillers – so she clearly doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as a romcom actress.

IMMACULATE opens in Hong Kong on Thursday (May 30^th). It’s not the best nun horror film out there but it’s okay.

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