KoImmaculate is a disturbing and unsettling horror that explores the shadowy aspects of faith, obsession and the dreadful possibilities of the human form. The eerie and slow-developed dread of the film drew me in and left me feeling horrified and sympathetic towards the journey that Cecilia had to go through. Her naivety and unshaken faith stand in sharp contrast with the dreadful secrets she discovers in the course of the process, which makes her change both tragic and gripping. The theme of religious authority corrupted by corruption and manipulation with science in the movie are disturbing, yet thought-provoking, and leave the viewers with a lot of unresolved morality issues behind its chilling aesthetic.
Imagery In the visuals of Immaculate, we find harsh, repressive imagery claustrophobic corridor of convent, side dark catacombs and hideous iconography, which is further enhanced by its disturbing storyline. The direction skillfully creates an atmosphere of tense, ominous mood, slowly showing the degree of convent perversion. The music is unobtrusive yet efficient, which increases the moments of surprise and depression. The practical implications and make-up art are physical and disturbing, particularly in describing the physical atrocities used on the nuns. The performances are reserved but strong, and the lead actress embodies the transformation of Cecilia in the innocence of the devoted girl to the desperate strength with the subtle emotion.
What stood out the most was the crude experimentation of the darkness of faith in the film that touches upon the brutality of humans, as well as scientific egocentrism of the human mind. It made me feel unsettled but thought-provoking, doubting the limits of right and wrong and authority in religious organizations. A provocative, stomach-churning horror that follows even after the credits have finished and leaves you questioning your notions of faith, purity and the human condition, Immaculate is a movie to be remembered.
