“Consecration” Movie Review

 

“Consecration”

Movie Review

 

Consecration, a 2023 supernatural thriller movie, was directed by Christopher Smith. The movie, which starred Jena Malone, Danny Huston, and Janet Suzman, was co-written by Smith and Laurie Cook. In the movie's plot, an American woman visits a monastery on the Island of Skye to learn the truth about the death of her priest brother but learns that he was also a suspect in a murder case.

The story by Smith and Laurie Cook weaves a mystery with paranormal and psychological drama. Their narrative makes an audacious attempt to confront the darkness that permeates both the Church and its people. Unforgiving nuns and dubious priests aren't just a staple of the horror genre, but the authors clearly draw on the satanic mythos of the Church that has long existed in both fiction and real life. The plot ultimately revolves around one woman's quest for the truth. Consecration is a fairly rewarding journey despite how bloodied and traumatized Jena Malone's character becomes because Smith and Cook's writing recognizes Grace as the anchor.

The movie centers on Grace, a doctor of optometry who identifies as an atheist and is portrayed by Jena Malone. She loves reasoning above science, but her brother picked religion over those two things to become a priest in a Scottish convent. Grace feels driven to look into her brother's apparent suicide because of her skepticism and disturbing visions, but the nuns' chilly and cult-like demeanor prevents her from doing so. As coping strategies, evasiveness and distrust are employed, Grace will find that something terribly terrible is at work.

In a performance that asks her to be a traditional woman caught in a perverse game, a skeptic, a detective, and a vulnerable sister, Malone is fearless and effective as the lead. Malone delivers a strong and fascinating performance that holds audiences' attention for the duration of the movie's nearly two-hour runtime, despite his poor accent.

 

The technical execution of Consecration is poor. There are a few effective jump scares, but filmmaker Smith can't completely portray the story's fear beyond the bleak and eerie photography of Rob Hart and Shaun Mone. For a story this large, the techniques employed are a little too basic. A few of Smith's camera techniques effectively convey the thought and worry behind Grace's journey. There is some evidence that Smith is making references to vintage horror films, but that rarely improves the film and is merely a fascinating fact.

 

Consecration isn't a complete flop, but the lackluster scares make the experience less enjoyable. The entire movie suddenly loses momentum. Consecration struggles to establish its footing despite a scenario that merges otherworldly terror and the Church's actual wicked nature. Up until it crumbles under the weight of expectations, the film may get by with an ominous atmosphere and a fantastic lead performance. Consecration is hardly a waste if viewers are interested in fresh horror, but it doesn't place particularly high in the hierarchy of church-based horrors.

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