St. Agatha review: Ahead of Corin Hardy’s The Nun, Saw franchise director Darren Lynn Bousman gives us another reason to be wary of nuns.
St. Agatha review by Kat Hughes.
St. Agatha Review
Darren Lynn Bousman is a director that those with an interest in the horror genre will be very familiar with. He directed three of the Saw films (Saw II, III, IV), Mother’s Day, Repo! The Genetic Opera, and has a bit of a reputation as a gore-hound. His latest film St. Agatha sees him once more play in the horror sandbox, only this time there’s much less of the red stuff.
Set in 1957, St. Agatha is another horror film this year to feature nuns. We’re not entirely sure why, but for some reason the habit-clothed sisters have become popular characters in the genre. Taking place within the walls of the Sisters of Divinity convent, our protagonist mother-to-be Mary (Sabrina Kern) arrives at the convent seeking shelter and help at the establishment with her impending motherhood. Fully intending on keeping her child and just in need of a peaceful place, at first the convent seems like paradise. The longer that she stays however, the more she realises that there’s something not quite right. Can Mary make it out before it’s too late?
Probably not the best choice of viewing whilst pregnant, the true horror of St. Agatha comes from the harsh reality that places such as this convent did exist. Those wanting some kind of possession movie need not watch, as the film is focused instead on the brutality and almost sadomasochistic natures of the establishment’s nuns; Mother Superior being by far the worst. Cruel acts on display include forcing an ill pregnant woman to re-eat the food she has just thrown-up (they don’t waste food here) and ordering another to cut out her tongue in order to prove loyalty.
St. Agatha Review
A film about conformity, with Mother Superior forcefully stripping these women of their identities, the main focus of St. Agatha is the battle of wills between her and Mary. This is a much more psychological and cerebral film than some of Bousman’s back-catalogue, but whilst it’s nice to see something different, the film does have a plodding pace. Events unfold slowly and are weighted down further by constant flashes back in time to Mary’s pre-convent time. As the film progresses, we also fall into a few typical genre tropes which age St. Agatha and make it feel a little tired.
Although a refreshing redirection for Bousman, St. Agatha just doesn’t take-off in the way that one would hope. Laden with cliches, and a frustratingly slow pace, St. Agatha is watchable, just not that memorable.
St. Agatha review by Kat Hughes, August 2018.
St. Agatha screened at Arrow Video Frightfest 2018.
