The Unholy

Name: The Unholy
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Horror
Released: April 2, 2021
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 36
Cast: Bates Wilder, Bill Thorpe, Cary Elwes, Celeste Oliva, Christine Adams

2021

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 49 Ratings

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4.7

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4.7	Your Score
4.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 49 Ratings

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The Unholy (UK Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

Screen Gems | Release Date: April 2, 2021 | PG-13

Starring: Bates Wilder, Bill Thorpe, Cary Elwes, Celeste Oliva, Christine Adams, Cricket Brown, Danny Corbo, Diogo Morgado, Dustin Tucker, Gisela Chipe, Janelle Feigley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Katie Aselton, Kiara Pichardo, Marina Mazepa, William Sadler

Summary: After a supposed visitation from the Virgin Mary, Alice, a young hearing-impaired girl, is inexplicably able to hear, speak and heal the sick. As word spreads and people from near and far flock to witness her miracles, a disgraced journalist (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hoping to revive his career visits the small New England town to investigate.After a supposed visitation from the Virgin Mary, Alice, a young hearing-impaired girl, is inexplicably able to hear, speak and heal the sick. As word spreads and people from near and far flock to witness her miracles, a disgraced journalist (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hoping to revive his career visits the small New England town to investigate. When terrifying events begin to happen all around, he starts to question if these phenomena are the works of the Virgin Mary or something much more sinister. … Expand

Director: Evan Spiliotopoulos

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 99 min

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Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Apr 1, 2021

The Unholy is a good tight scary commercial theological horror film. Its spooks and demons unfurl within a pop version of Christianity, which makes it sound no more exotic than last week’s “Exorcist” knockoff or last year’s helping of the “Conjuring” franchise. But The Unholy has a religious plot that actually works for it. Read full review

David Rooney

Apr 1, 2021

After an intriguing setup that takes its time building atmosphere and characters, declining to rush the first death, the film becomes progressively more overwrought and hokey. It also loads up on derivative tropes that worked better everywhere from Ringu through The Conjuring Universe. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Apr 2, 2021

The Unholy is not designed to be deep, but since glimmers of depth are present, the lack of follow-up makes this a disappointing watch. Read full review

Robert Daniels

Apr 1, 2021

Laboriously paced, the indulgent jolts and bloodless scares, neither deeply rooted nor artfully raised, float as lifelessly as a lily pad on a bog. Read full review

Matthew Monagle

Apr 1, 2021

It’s a credit to Brown, Morgan, and Sadler that the story works at all. These actors maintain the illusion that The Unholy is a competent horror movie for far longer than it deserves. But in the end, there are just too many pieces missing to make this a coherent whole. Read full review

Fionnuala Halligan

Apr 1, 2021

This religious-themed horror based around the phenomena of Marian apparitions has an intriguing premise but cuts too many corners in its catechism. Read full review

The Guardian Benjamin Lee

Apr 1, 2021

If the devil did exist then surely he’d have the power to destroy films as dull as this. Read full review

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User Reviews

HenningLarsen

May 20, 2021

Good and very entertaining movie, some nice jumpscares, and I would deffinetly recommend it.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

kbgtn

Apr 17, 2021

Movie is fast paced, the actors played the characters very well and while the script had me rolling my eyes a couple times it’s still less cringy than any other new spiritual movie in the last couple of years. I would definitely rewatch this

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Collistic89

May 21, 2021

I enjoy these kind of movies, though it is not adding anything substantially new.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

dharma

May 29, 2021

Boring, predictable horror film, with twists and turns that you can literally see a mile away. The only redeeming factor is Jeffrey Dean Morgan, whose swagger elevate this average horror film. Too bad, I was really looking forward to this. A disappointment.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

manufail

Apr 19, 2021

The Unholy is an awkward film that ultimately tries to leave the viewer with a positive message but not even a positive message can make this a good film. The horror film is centered exclusively around jump scares and with that exception has zero horror. The writing holds the viewer's handThe Unholy is an awkward film that ultimately tries to leave the viewer with a positive message but not even a positive message can make this a good film. The horror film is centered exclusively around jump scares and with that exception has zero horror. The writing holds the viewer's hand in an already simple plot. A lot of the rules established in the film are broken even minutes after being created. Despite how fast-paced the movie seems, it still feels like it's dragging on at times. In the end, you are left with two messages: one about truth and one about faith. Both messages feel unearned and almost slapped together. The real shame is that the film does seem like it could be saved. In fact, without any reshoots and just some simple editing choices, I feel this movie could've been a lot better (and even saved some money on some horrid CGI). If you are a horror fan aching for some new horror - I would skip. If you are a film fan I would definitely skip it. Finally, there are some visuals in this film (early and in the very end) that make absolutely zero sense and almost like they were purposely there for a trailer.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Panchogul

May 26, 2021

Menuda estupidez es esta película, los primeros 45 minutos son tan aburridos como predecibles y clichés, los pocos sustos se limitan a los típicos jumpscares de siempre y la historia tiene un pésimo desarrollo, actuaciones regulares y los efectos especiales dan vergüenza.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Alina1

May 1, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Nothing new here, I don't like that.........................................… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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