CONSECRATION – movie review
It’s been interesting to see how religious horror has made a bit of a comeback in the past few years. While these films haven’t been setting the world on fire, they are being made regularly and are clearly making enough to keep them coming. As I have said before, the thing here is that movies with a religious bend will continue to be engaging as long as religion fascinates people. Let’s face it, what lies beyond the veil, past life, and before life is a mystery, and beyond that veil, who knows what there is?
Devil or angel, if there is something waiting beyond the darkness, we want to know and if you’ve watched a few movies, the devils are a lot more interesting to consider.
CONSECRATION follows Jena Malone, a doctor whose brother, a priest has been found dead. It is believed he murdered someone before he jumped to his death. She cannot believe it at first, but once she has seen his body, she knows for certain – he has been murdered. As she tries to get to the bottom of what happened to her brother, she begins having hallucinations about the past, and about things she could have no way of knowing. Recuperating at the church her brother served at while healing from an accident, she needs to figure out who framed her brother, why she is having these hallucinations, and what all of this has to do with the church.
Jena Malone is excellent as a grieving sister searching for answers. The supporting cast are all good as well, bringing an air of danger and mystery to things. The film is well made, with a feeling of dread permeating it, and a sense that something diabolical is at work. The mystery at the heart of the film is teased out well, though I suspected the direction things were going pretty early on. The film still maintains its mystery, and once all the pieces fall into place, it feels earned. The actors do a great job of keeping you engaged, and Danny Huston and the ensemble are very good in the movie.
This is a more psychological horror film than a visceral one, but there is still a bit of nastiness to be had. If you are looking for a more thoughtful bit of horror, this definitely fits the bill. While there are still some pretty big questions left to ponder, they are of a sort that is worth considering, as everything isn’t handed to the viewer outright. The film is really good with few flourishes but a steady hand at the wheel, is worth a look.
CONSECRATION is available on HULU in the United States and will be available via digital download on Jun. 16 in the UK.
3.5 out of 5
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