'The Unholy' (2021) Movie Review: Barely a Passing Grade

The Unholy is a horror movie directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It is based on the novel written by James Herbert.

A supernatural horror film about miracles and apparitions, with a lot of religion (Catholic this time) and some clichés that work in lightweight horror films that work in a film that treads a firm ground without any risks…

Plot of The Unholy

A journalist with no scruples on the hunt for a scoop runs into the miracle of an apparition… and something else.

Movie Review

If you like religion themed films, then this one is just about okay, it has its film touch (a little too much if you have watched movies for some time). It has touches of The Exorcist, apparitions like in The Ring and many others. Here and there, reputed screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos directs his first feature film cleverly but staying within the boundaries of a more or less conventional plot about miracles and religious communities… we have seen better films with better settings and more thoroughly defined characters but… in general, this film is watchable and the main actor keeps the rhythm of the story working. The story is too conventional and after the presentation, this is a little too much as a plot that we already know all about and that does not surprise the viewer very much.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is very good in the role of the journalist who is a little inmoral but a good guy deep down inside.

This is a movie with a good premise and a decent ending. The central plot is not too interesting nor do we see novel or terrifying formulas. It has its scary moments, but they aren´t memorable and in the end, it lacks more of a spirit and should be a little more ripping.

Lightweight horror for a good debut that, unfortunately is a movie that is just conventional.

Our Opinion

This movie receives just a “passing grade”. A product with a classic modern horror structure like so many others that is not surprising nor does it repel the viewer.

It is watchable and the rhythm is coherent. It progresses but does not have any stellar moments.

We don´t recommend it too much, but if you want to have a nice time that is not excessively horriffic, then this will be okay to watch.

Director

Evan Spiliotopoulos is a Greek-American screenwriter, best known for writing Hercules, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure and Beauty and the Beast. He also wrote the script for the film The Huntsman: Winter’s War.