Directed by: Paco Plaza
IMDb link: Sister Death (2023)
what if I only saw, what I wanted…
(Spoilers Ahead…)
In this Sister Death movie review, I explore how director Paco Plaza tries to make a great horror prequel. But fails at it.
Sister Death Plot: A Crisis of Faith
The story begins in 1939 with a childhood miracle. A young girl named Narcisa (Aria Bedmar) sees the Holy Mary during the war. Ten years later, in 1949, Narcisa becomes a new nun at a Catholic school for poor girls. This school used to be a convent during the war.
As Narcisa tries to fit in with the other nuns, she faces a big inner struggle. She keeps questioning her faith and wonders if she can really see or talk to God. Soon, creepy things start happening every night, which makes her doubt herself even more.
A Solid Start with Cliche Scares
This movie is a prequel to Veronica. The first two parts of the movie are pretty solid. The only thing I did not like was Narcisa’s dreamy flashbacks. In a horror movie, these feel very cliche. The movie tries to force a jump scare, only to reveal it was just a dream. However, I can give it the benefit of the doubt, since Narcisa is in a very fragile state of mind.
A Messy Final Act
The final part of the movie is where the story totally falls apart. There are too many loose ends and weird reveals.
First, I understand why they changed Rosa’s fate. They wanted to surprise viewers who know Rosa is still alive in Veronica. But why did she have to die? It just did not make sense unless another spirit was acting at the same time.
I understand Hermana Socorro wanting revenge. It makes sense that she goes after the two Sisters who hid her daughter (even though the little girl’s death was an accident). However, the deaths of Hermana Julia and the Mother Superior did not make me feel anything. I never felt like saying, “Yes, they deserve this.” They were just grey characters. The movie should have developed their stories more so I could actually care about their ending.
Instead of forcing Rosa’s story into the movie, it would have worked better if it focused more on Narcisa struggling to know if God was really talking to her.
Sister Death Movie Review: Final Thoughts
The good bits are the acting and the camera work. Aria Bedmar gives a pretty good performance, and the cinematography is excellent. There are some lovely shots throughout the film. Also, the background music in the beginning is very haunting and used well.
To wrap up this Sister Death movie review, the film felt like it had good potential. After watching Veronica, I really wanted to see the backstory of how she got that name. Sadly, I expected a far better story than what I actually got.
So, should you spend your time on it? If you are a huge fan of Veronica, you might still want to watch this just to see where the nightmare started. The creepy mood in the first half is definitely worth experiencing. However, if you want a complete horror story with a strong ending that makes sense, you will probably feel a bit let down. The movie focuses too much on trying to shock you instead of just telling a good story. It is not a terrible movie, but it is sadly a missed chance to do something truly great.
My Rating: 4.5/10
In case you missed out, do check my movie review of Ek Thi Daayan
