Joshua Reviews Christopher Smith’s Consecration [Theatrical Review]

As with the start of any new year, 2023 has already seen a wave of horror films being pushed into megaplexes across the country. Be it the meme-ready and secretly great M3GAN or the surprise Searching spin-off(?) Missing, 2023 very much continues the trend of January and February being a breeding ground for horror/thrillers.

One of these films that stands out for its rather incredible cast is Consecration. Part of the subgenre of nun horror, Consecration comes from director Christopher Smith (probably best known for the criminally underrated Triangle) and stars Jena Malone as Grace, a woman in search of answers following the death of her brother, a priest. Her search brings her to the Mount Saviour Convent in Scotland, where she slowly becomes more and more haunted by visions and apparitions hinting at something wicked coming her way.

The film opens ominously enough, with Grace narrating that her brother once believed she “had a guardian angel” and that she “used to believe in nothing,” all while viewers watch as a gun is pointed directly at us, and we assume, Grace, by a nun. However, while this sequence is off putting enough to unsettle the viewer, it does hint at a film that doesn’t have much in the way of ambiguity. Instead, director Smith thrusts viewers squarely into the world of the supernatural, with Danny Huston chewing up the scenery as Father Romero, ultimately one of the film’s big bads.

Viewers do become privy to some of Grace’s backstory through hamfisted flashbacks that are interspersed throughout the film, ultimately finding Consecration ebbing and flowing between being that of a horror picture and that of a rote mystery film. These flashbacks aren’t particularly nuanced or provocative, with the film largely painting in broad strokes while lacking any real voice or perspective. That being said, the film is impressive in its composition, with the photography particularly proving to be rather compelling. Smith is a solid crafter of images, creating engaging setpieces, particularly as the film comes to its conclusion. The final act is compelling enough to make the 90 minute runtime easily navigable, particularly as the pulpy narrative does, in its simplicity, bring about a briskly paced genre picture.

It also does truly help that the performances are relatively good. Malone is surprisingly good here, at least surprising given the relatively paint-by-numbers story unfolding around her. She’s an incredible screen presence, particularly within the confines of a thriller like this, and she’s a perfect foil for actors like Huston and Janet Suzman. Both Huston and Suzman give well modulated, if relatively simple, performances, especially the latter who demands attention with her scenery-chomping performance.

Overall, Consecration is a serviceable, if relatively flat, genre effort from an underrated director. With IFC behind it, it’s sure to be a hit with genre-heads as it arrives in theaters Friday, February 10, and even more so once it hits streaming.