Consecration (2023) - Movie Review

What do you get when you take the mythology of catholic mysticism, stir in a dash of Suspiria, and hand the reins to a filmmaker on the top of their game?

One of the best religious horror films ever made.

I know, I’m prone to hyperbole, but hear me out.

Consecration is a 2023 horror / thriller brought to us by writer director Christopher Smith and writer Laurie Clark. Christopher Smith is the unsung hero our our genre with films such as Severance, Creep, Black Death, and one of my all-time favs, 2009’s Triangle. He’s a brilliant director with an incredible eye for detail. Almost every frame of his films has some hidden element in frame, some clue to what’s really going on and I don’t think he’s ever done it better than in this film. This film is his masterpiece, as it utilizes all the themes and ideas of Black Death and Triangle to create a brilliant parable of the evils of zealotry. This film epitomizes the reasons I left the church after studying at seminary.

The film focuses on Grace, a brilliant ophthalmologist whose life has been rife with trauma and loss. Having experienced a nightmarish childhood, she’s isolated herself and repressed her memories. Then a late night phone call forces her to confront everything she’s sought to avoid. Her brother is dead by his own hand, and after murdering another priest at a remote Scottish convent. Upon traveling to the convent, she finds nothing is as it first appears to be. Traveling through a thick fog of gaslight and mysticism, she must travel into her past to find the answers of the present, but an unseen clock is ticking. Will she be able to solve the mystery within the convent or fall prey to its consecration?

First off, the casting of this film was spot on. Every single actor is a standout star. Even those with smaller roles like Jolade Obasola leave a lasting mark.

But this is Jena Malone’s film. She puts this movie on her shoulders and carries it across the finish line. Everyone always sleeps on Malone, but she’s been a rockstar since the 90’s. I remember seeing her in a Michael Jackson VHS when I was a little kid and then having a crush on her starting with her role in Contact from then on out. It helps that she’s a powerhouse that always brings her all to every performance.

The supporting cast in film are no slouches either. The great Danny Huston rears that devilish smile and overwhelming charisma to a role that very much could have been a mustache twirling role. However, in the hands of a brilliant actor like Huston, he’s a likable character that you almost root for throughout the film due to the incredibly nuanced performance and brilliant writing. Writing doesn’t work without the performance and Huston was locked in. His scenes with Malone in particular are so heartfelt and organic, the chemistry was palpable.

And nothing is over done.

You see these characters interact and you beg for me, but the film cuts you off before the conversation can continue, until the climax. It’s constant state of drip fed deprivation that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You want to know what’s going on, but in the end you find yourself torn, just like the characters at the center of the film.

It also helps that the film’s use of religious imagery is extremely well done. I have background in the church and my ongoing studies of Catholic and Judaic mysticism and occult history is ongoing. The way the convent is decorated, every room, window, and prop seems to hide some reference or hint at what’s really going on. More on that in the spoilers section below.

This film is 100% atmosphere. It’s shot dirty with dulled colors and dim lighting and an eerie musical score that really makes you think you’re hearing the sounds of the main character’s soul as it goes through this turbulent ride. The setting and location are a character unto themselves. The ancient convent precariously perched atop the emerald green cliffs almost stares down at you as the viewer.

The only movie that comes close to comparable is the original 1977 Suspiria from Dario Argento.

I know that’s high praise, comparing the arguable masterpiece of my favorite director to this film—so you know I’m serious.

This movie is that good.

It’s brutally violent, mysterious, creepy, and even got me to jump a couple of times.

But overall, it’s empowering. This film follows the heart of horror. Those who go through the fires of tribulation come through it hardened and mighty.

You need to see this movie.

Check it out streaming exclusively on SHUDDER.

Now then….

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

I’ve seen a lot of reviews that slam this film as feminist propaganda. Anyone who says that is a fool who just doesn’t understand either history or the actual messaging presented in this film. There are good people on both sides of the gender lines in this film. There are good Christians in this film and evil ones. There’s an equality in the characters and their motivation that prevents such pigheaded agendas.

Is the character of Grace a powerful, successful woman (even without the supernatural element)?

Yes.

Is she a Mary Sue?

Obviously not, she seeks out help from a man when she can’t help her own patient. She’s friends with this man and even affection with him as an equal. So, please ignore these types of ignorant review.

Feminism isn’t the point here.

The patriarchy is really the point either.

The point is the misguided use of faith to punish what mankind does not understand.

Faith can be good. A church in my area recently purchased all the medical debt of their parishioners (without their knowledge) and paid it all off. Hundreds of thousands of dollars off the books of people struggling to pay rent. And the church has no intention of ever asking for a dime for it.

Incredible right?

On the flip side, the Catholic Church is responsible for widespread molestation of children across the world that they covered up for the majority of modern history.

Oh and they were responsible for the genocide of entire cultures during their many crusades to increase their economic stranglehold of Europe.

My distaste for the Vatican aside, I’m trying to say that religion isn’t 100% evil or 100% good, because at the end of the day it is just an idea. Faith is an unseen belief in something beyond oneself. We each are individuals with our own interpretations of information and opinions on said information. Faith to one person is going to be extremely different when compared to another.

Much like in this film.

I marveled at the set decoration and design of the convent. It was said to be founded by a templar order called The Knights of the Morning Star and much of the symbology revolves around a serpentine cross.

To anyone with a basic knowledge of christian symbolism or that’s watched Lucifer, you’d know that the Morningstar is Lucifer. He was the brightest angel, the angel of light—hence the nickname.

In the garden of Eden story, Lucifer is depicted as a serpent.

This convent and father Romero believe they worship God, but in fact they are worshipping his shadow. They are ignorant to the satanic imagery all around them.

To reach into my bible knowledge— Isaiah chapter 5 verses 20-21 state: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness: Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.

Such are those calling themselves holy in this film.

On to the big reveal:

Grace is a supernatural being, an almost antichrist like figure to the church. They have no idea what she actually is. She was kidnapped from a group of peaceful druids and branded a witch. They imprisoned her in a consecrated tomb that prevented her from aging, but she was freed in the earthquake of 1993.

The church considers this the work of the devil, but again—they misinterpreted whose hand was working in Grace’s favor.

If Grace had been born in Rome, she’d have been branded a Saint and used to further the means of the church, but because she was from a tribe of barbarians, her life took this bitter turn.

Her mind and soul were fractured at this moment. One side of her forgot how to use her power or even that she had any power to begin with. The other half knew exactly what happened and what would happen. So throughout Grace’s life, she herself was reaching back in time and leading her to the realization of who and what she was. Her brother, having been the one person to survive being around her for an extended period of time was pushed to join the church, because to him Grace’s very existence was proof of the divine. He understood who she was and what she could do. He knew she was good and loved her despite the horrors her presence wrought in his life.

Grace’s shadow was able to travel through her timeline and prevent her from being killed again and again. The reason that Grace is creeped out by nuns is that she’s always seen her adult self as a nun, in the mirrors of rooms, watching over her.

She just didn’t realize she was seeing the echo of herself.

At the end of the film, both sides of Grace unite and she’s able to perform true miracles. She heals her patient and decides to do good in the word. She’s a modern day saint empowered through the trails and tribulations all saints must endure.

Or maybe I’m just crazy.

Either way, I love this film.