Summary

A newsman investigating cattle mutilation in Banfield, Massachusetts, encounters a silent woman named Alice who suddenly speaks after twenty years, leading to a series of events that question the nature of her miraculous transformation.

Abstract

Gerry Fenn, a newsman seeking a sensational tabloid story, arrives in Banfield to investigate reports of cattle mutilation. His hopes are dashed when he discovers the incident is a hoax, but he then hears voices from a tree and finds an old kern doll with an impossible date. After a chance encounter with a young woman named Alice, who has been silent for two decades, Alice speaks her first word, sparking belief in her as a visionary for a lady named Mary. Miracles start to occur, with Alice at the center, but the authenticity of these events is questioned. The movie "The Unholy," based on James Herber's book "Shrine," explores themes of good versus evil, faith, and deception, ultimately revealing that the miracles are the work of a 19th-century witch channeling Satan. The reviewer finds the film frightening due to its realistic portrayal of blind faith in charismatic individuals, akin to society's trust in social media influencers, and appreciates the movie's message about the dangers of doubt and the importance of discerning who to trust.

Opinions

The reviewer enjoys horror movies with religious undertones and finds "The Unholy" particularly unsettling due to its plausible scenario of misplaced faith.
The film is praised for its departure from typical slasher horror to a more psychological and societal critique on the influence of charismatic figures.
The reviewer appreciates the movie's exploration of the dichotomy between good and evil, with the protagonist ultimately choosing truth over deception.
The reviewer rates the movie positively, giving it a 3 out of 5, indicating a favorable but not perfect viewing experience.
The reviewer highlights the importance of being cautious about who one places their faith in, as evidenced by the film's narrative and the quote from Father Hagan: "When God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel next door."

A movie review

The Woman Who Has Been Silent for Twenty Years Said Her First Word

The result is unholy.

Massachusetts

A newsman was following a story of cattle mutilation and was hoping for a sensational story good enough for a tabloid that pays him $200 for some photos and a story.

He drove to Banfield a small town in Massachusetts and talked to the farm owner who gave him the ‘scoop’. When he examined the cow there was nothing exceptional aside from the Metallica insignia imprinted on the cow that is nothing more than a teenage prank. Everything turned out to be a web of lies.

Disappointed, he started to hear voices that were coming from a tree, there he saw an old kern doll with an impossible date engraved on the doll, it says February 31, 1845.

The kern doll looked creepy that the man decided to step on it, and cracked it open. He could have kept it and sold it on eBay.

He decided to call it a day, and as he was driving a young woman suddenly crossed his path, he did a quick maneuver saving himself and the young woman.

Alice

Gerry Fenn stepped out of his car to check on the young woman, who by now was hugging a tree, he heard her mumbling but as soon as he reached for her arm, she collapsed on the ground.

He saw a church and there he was met by Father Hagan, as it turned out the young woman is his niece and her name is Alice.

The following day, as Father Hagan was officiating the mass, Alice stood up and went outside to be near the tree where Gerry found her last night.

And as the crowd gathered, Father Hagan touched Alice on her shoulders, she faced the crowd and said her first words in twenty years.

She said,

The lady …

Before I tell you the rest of the story, you can watch the full trailer of The Unholy, now streaming on Netflix.

CAUTION: Spoiler Alert

Miracle?

The first miracle was that Alice who has been silent for twenty years was able to say her first words, and soon everyone in Banfield believed that Alice is a visionary of a lady she calls Mary.

The following day, through Alice’s intercession, a young boy with muscular dystrophy walked away from his wheelchair.

But are the miracles for real or not?

When God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel next door. — Father Hagan

The Unholy — A movie review

I love watching horror movies. The Unholy is the first film with religious undertones that I have seen in years. The movie isn’t a slasher horror flick like Halloween, TCM, and Scream. I find this movie to be frightening because Alice has the angelic face that in real life can make people have faith in her, instead of having faith in the message.

And in a society that is easily deceived by charismatic characters and social media influencers, it is not a stretch that one day, the world would believe in someone like Alice.

In the movie, the Mary, Alice was talking to was a witch from the 19th century, who performed miracles by channeling not God but Satan.

Good vs. Evil

In the end, good always win. In our fear, that evil lurks. Alice was able to choose the truth and saved the people of her small town.

Doubt weakens faith, and be careful who you pray for.

Stream or not?

I liked the movie. 3/5

The Unholy is based on the book Shrine by James Herber which is available on Amazon. The movie is streaming on Netflix.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, with no extra cost to you.

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