[Sister Death Review Netflix] A horror film from the director of REC that still unique identity.

Sister Death Netflix horror movie from Spain tells the story of a novice nun who comes to be a teacher at an old convent school, but she begins to see strange things happening in this place, all by herself.

Sister Death Netflix review (No Spoilers)

This film is the work of director Paco Plaza , known for his popular horror movie series REC three parts. The screenplay is written by Jorge Guerricaechevarría , who also worked on the renowned Spanish horror series “30 Coins” (available to watch on HBO). Both of them have their unique and distinct styles, which adds to the uniqueness of this Spanish horror movie.

The film begins with a young nun who possesses miraculous abilities, which make her famous. She comes to this school because the previous nun left. From the beginning, she witnesses small, inexplicable occurrences, such as chairs falling over and rolling stones, along with hearing strange noises that no one else does. The movie hardly has any clear and direct ghostly or supernatural scenes, and it uses very minimal CGI effects. Instead, it suggests throughout that the nun might have had psychological issues since childhood, with recurring nightmarish scenes. The film uses these scenes repeatedly, as if the nun is imagining them. Even when children see some of these occurrences, it is explained that the nun’s belief in them influences the children’s imagination. The movie keeps viewers in suspense, making them question whether it’s a genuine ghost story or not until all the secrets are finally revealed in a lengthy and satisfying conclusion for the audience.

With the same writer as the series “30 Coins,” this film evokes a similar sense of fear. Through its historical scenes where these beliefs are deeply ingrained in the characters’ psyche, along with the devout characters in the church, the eerie atmosphere of the old school is consistently frightening. Additionally, the characters’ mental states are ambiguous, as they don’t know how much of what they see is real when the entire school refuses to acknowledge. The film effectively conveys these emotions through its characters, creating moments of horror even when nothing is visible on screen. While the film excels at playing with scenes like this, it may not satisfy viewers who expect straightforward ghostly encounters.

In summary, this horror film from the director of REC, a Spanish, effectively maintains its unique and genuinely frightening atmosphere. It plays on the fear of the supernatural that only the protagonist sees, rather than relying on traditional ghostly encounters. The film is distinguished by its portrayal of the characters’ psychological issues from childhood, which are hidden until the end of the film, adding depth to the story. However, the absence of straightforward ghostly scenes often turns out to be a dream, may not please viewers who expect a horror film with clear-cut scares.

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