Another indie review for you. This time it’s Consecration, starring Jena Malone and Danny Huston. We had the trailer online recently.
I think this came out a while ago, but it is getting a UK release this June. Which is odd, as it’s set in Scotland, which is in the UK.
The movie stars Malone, Huston, Janet Suzman, Will Keen, Thoren Ferguson, Eilidh Fisher, and Ian Price. Christopher Smith is the writer/director, who is known for Triangle and Creep, which are both very good movies.
The Story
The story for Consecration is:
After the alleged suicide of her priest brother, Grace travels to the remote Scottish convent where he fell to his death. Distrusting the Church’s account, she uncovers murder, sacrilege and a disturbing truth about herself.
We meet Grace (Malone), who’s an optometrist and a bit of a loner. She gets a call to say her brother has died, in what’s thought to be a murder suicide. She heads to a convent in the highlands of Scotland to find out what happened.
When she gets to the convent, it all starts going wrong, obviously. She finds that there was more to her brother’s death than she thought, and nuns know more than they let on. Isn’t it always the way? It seems like the only good movie nuns were from Sister Act.
There’s obviously a deeper story going on, but I won’t spoil it. The overall story for Consecration is solid, and I found myself engaged with Grace’s journey.
The Cast
Malone is very good in Consecration. I just looked her up, and this movie was made in 2023. I knew I had heard about it.
Malone has to carry the movie, being the main protagonist, and she does it well. I’m surprised to read she wasn’t born in the UK, as her accent is spot on. Poor Grace goes through a lot to find out what happened to her brother.
Including delving into her own past. This was a little cliché, as I have said before, it’s always a little annoying that ‘something from their past helps them with whatever they are doing now’. However, it’s forgivable in Consecration, as it’s kind of the point of the story.
Huston’s casting is mixed because he’s a great actor, but you can’t trust him; is he the good guy or the bad guy? Again, it’s a little cliché, but he isn’t what he seems. At least when he plays a bad guy, like Stryker in Wolverine, you know he’s the bad guy.
The Direction
What was great about Consecration was the direction. I love a good horror movie, but they are rare these days. I had to sit through Final Destination 34 the other day, and it’s nothing but jump scares and ‘more blood means better horror’.
It’s nice to see a director who holds back, doesn’t throw in jump scares for the sake of it and lets the tension do the talking. I wouldn’t say the movie is ‘edge of your seat’, but it’s certainly creepy.
Yes, there is the troupe of ‘there’s something in the mirror, oh no it’s gone’, but I would prefer this to a jump scare and a loud clash of music.
Overall
Consecration is a very subtle horror; it’s one to turn off the lights, get comfy, and soak up the atmosphere. I can’t say it scared me all that much, but then, I think I’m immune to horror movies these days. I haven’t seen anything that really scared me for a while.
There are some nice moments in Consecration that just give you chills, but it’s all nicely done. The story is engaging and, apart from some obviously cliched moments, it was rather good.
Yet again, though, Consecration shows that indie movies are where it’s at. Smith’s direction and writing are very good, and it’s not a ‘this movie has to appeal to this demographic’ feel about it.
I’m giving it a solid 3.5 out of 5 and would watch it again on a stormy night, while wearing a habit. You can find Consecration on streaming from the 16th of June.
