The supernatural horror film “Consecration” is directed by Christopher Smith and stars Jena Malone, Danny Huston, and Janet Suzman. The plot revolves around Grace, an ophthalmologist, who travels to a secluded Scottish convent following the supposed suicide of her priest brother, Michael.
1. Grace’s Arrival in Scotland
The film tells the narrative of Grace (Jena Malone), an ophthalmologist operating in West Virginia. The story opens with DCI Officer Harris (Thoren Ferguson) informing Grace that her brother, Michael (Steffan Cennydd), committed himself after murder.
This inspires Grace to travel to Scotland to look into the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death.
2. Visions and Hallucinations at the Church
When Grace arrives in Scotland, she becomes a guest in the church where her brother had worked as a priest. As she spends more time in church, she begins to have hallucinations, leading her to feel she is losing her mind. However, these visions and apparitions are actually clues that assist her discover her true identity.
3. Grace Reflects About Her Past.
Throughout the film, we receive glimpses of Grace’s history as she reads Michael’s journal, which is written in a code that only she understands. We learn about their early years, their father’s death in a shipwreck, and how their father kept them in cages.
When Grace tries to flee, her father murders her mother, and when he attempts to kill Grace, someone or whatever knocks him out cold. After their father is convicted of murdering his wife, he is imprisoned, and the siblings are adopted by Father Jacobs (Michael Brophy) and Sister Dianne (Charlotte Palmer) of the Mount Savior Convent.
4. Grace’s True Identity
The film shows that Grace isn’t as old as she appears. She is a medieval witch who was imprisoned in a tomb beneath the Scottish church where “Consecration” takes place. The tomb had scripture baked into its walls, which would keep her from aging.
The motive for not killing and imprisoning Grace may seem perplexing. However, the working hypothesis held that Grace was immortal because she was Lucifer Morningstar’s daughter, also known as the fallen angel or demon.
5. Was Grace the Relic that Mother Superior Wanted to Destroy?
The film’s ending implies that Grace is the relic, and Mother Superior and her henchmen intended to jail her to keep her from killing anyone. The film hints that two versions of Grace exist in distinct planes of time, one being the “guardian angel” who has accepted that she is the relic, and the other being Grace, who is on her way to discovering that she is the relic.
The film’s narrative and finale are open to interpretation, however it is indicated that Grace is the relic that Mother Superior intended to destroy or imprison.
The film implies that Grace has transformed from an atheist to a believer and user of ungodly abilities for good. The ending also features a confrontation between Grace and Mother Superior, which culminates in a spectacular event in London.
6. Direction and Feedback.
Christopher Smith, the film’s director, is well-known for his work in horror, having directed films such as “Creep,” “Severance,” “Triangle,” and “Black Death.” “Consecration” uses religious liturgy, symbolism, and vernacular to create a familiar yet credible sectarian setting against the dramatic backdrop of Scotland’s Isle of Skye.
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Consecration gets off to a promising start with a genuinely intriguing supernatural horror picture featuring better-than-usual photography and a great performance by its main lady.
However, the film stumbles when it comes to revealing its fundamental mystery, and the climax is a jumble. The movie is all setup with little payoff.
The film is classified R for its violent scenes and language. Despite having Jena Malone as the heroine, Consecration delivers Catholic-themed horror that is far more hoary than hallowed.
