Sister Death review.
Netflix serves up a prequel to 2017’s Verónica. A slow burn supernatural horror movie. It does everything better than The Nun series that it will undoubtedly be compared to.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Sister Death
Directed by Paco Plaza
Written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria
Starring Aria Bedmar, Almudena Amor, Maru Valdivielso, Luisa Merelas, Chelo Vivares, Adriana Camarena and Marcelo Carvajal
Sister Death Review
Most people who watch Sister Death will undoubtedly compare it to its predecessor Verónica. This is a prequel to that 2017 film from Paco Plaza. He returns to the director’s chair six years later to expand on the universe. I have never seen Verónica. That makes joining the throngs of people who are interested in seeing more of its world an impossibility. There is, however, a plethora of other movies to compare it to. Religious horror movies are often quite similar, after all. The most significant of which in recent years is most certainly The Nun and its recent sequel The Nun II. Sister Death blows those popular movies out of the water.
Sister Narcisa (Aria Bedmar) takes a position teaching at a former convent turned school. She learns that the students are frightened of a spirit haunting the campus. There are secrets buried within the convent. Narcisa’s supernatural connection draws her deeper into a fight for survival.
If that set-up sounds familiar…it’s very similar to this year’s The Nun II. Both feature a school run by nuns. Schools haunted by an evil presence. A young nun with otherworldly powers arrives to uncover a mystery. Whereas The Nun II is a significant step up in quality from The Nun…Sister Death towers over both. If you enjoy The Conjuring Universe’s take on the material…you’re going to want to stop reading this review now and head over to Netflix.
What Sister Death (Hermana Muerte in its native language) has over the wildly successful Nun films is, simply put, craft. Paco Plaza sustains a level of intrigue and tension here that the first Nun movie never finds…and the second only manages occasionally. He’s working with a superior script, as well. Even at their best The Nun movies don’t feel as realistic or as urgent as Plaza’s offering. It’s often a stunningly gorgeous film as well.
The downside of Sister Death is that it progresses slowly. There are a few moments where the tedium may set in. It begins to build expertly by the time we hit act 2…but that first act can be a bit of a slog. There are a few scenes that are too dark to be as effective as they could be, as well. It’s a realistic presentation of walking through darkness…but that doesn’t help when you’re trying to make out what’s happening on screen. That style tends to pull you out of the story instead of immersing you deeper into it.
Once Sister Narcisa settles into her new home…Sister Death takes off. We learn the myth of the girl who haunts the grounds. Plaza unleashes some excellent horror imagery. He eschews jump scares and big noises for unsettling tension. The Nun opted for loud noises, its sequel…jump scares and big moments. Here we see a commitment to style and tone that pays off far better than those two tactics. Loud noises are reserved for character’s reaction to horror. A giant step forward from an attempt to artificially jolt the viewer.
The girls that make up the student body live in fear of something they don’t understand…but takes the form of a girl. Sister Narcisa discovers the dark, tragic backstory to what’s happening. She becomes involved in a way that rubs the other sisters the wrong way. The legend centers around a game of hangman. If your name appears…you’re next. Admittedly wacky on paper. It works in practice. I believe Verónica used a Ouija board. When one of her student’s names appears on the blackboard…Sister Narcisa (and the movie itself) leaps into action.
It culminates in a terrific finish. A bloody, violent finale awaits the patient build. Bedmar carries the picture with the support of some fine performances from her sisters and students. Any worry about the pacing of Sister Death in the first twenty minutes will be laid to rest by the time it delivers its finale. It counters every misstep made by the blockbuster versions of the story by applying expert technique and a consistently menacing tone. An easy recommendation for fans of similar movies. And even for those who are over religious horror movies altogether.
Scare Value
Sister Death succeeds where The Nun movies consistently fail. Religious horror movies always start somewhat behind the 8 ball. Repetitive stories litter the genre. Movies with nothing new to offer. Sister Death overcomes its similarities to previous films by sustaining a terrific atmosphere and paying off your patience with a bloody, violent climax. A gorgeously shot film, Sister Death is a fine spooky season addition.
3.5/5
Sister Death Link
Streaming on Netflix
