Dedication Review – Trippy Time Bender layers a murder mystery with religious dangers

Movies like Saint Maud and Agnes explore the dangers of blind faith and madness. They are told from very different perspectives and contain elements of magical realism and double entender, but have similar central themes. Less subtle, of course, is the spin-off from the Conjuring universe, The Nun, which has its charm but is by no means a conscious musing. Christopher Smith’s (Triangle) Consecration strikes an interesting balance between thoughtfulness, spirituality and death in this trippy film that defies time itself.

Starring Jena Malone (Swallowed), Danny Huston (IO) and Thoren Fergusen, Consecration is a disturbing film full of atmospheric moodiness and eerie religious imagery. Malone’s presence in a movie pretty much guarantees a certain amount of interest, especially for indie horror movie aficionados. She is a reliable addition to any genre production. Playing off-type, Malone is a young woman with a complicated past who goes to a remote Scottish convent when her brother is framed for murder and suicide.

Grace is an infidel, but her brother was a different story. This couple lost both parents when their father killed their mother and was convicted of murder. The siblings went to live in the Mount Savior orphanage, and Michael chose a life dedicated to God, while Grace decided to devote herself to helping others through science. When she learns of her brother’s death, she immediately investigates. She can’t believe her brother would hurt anyone let alone herself. When she arrives in Scotland, she finds the strict sect plagued by controversy. Nuns gouge their eyes out after claiming to see the devil, and a shaky past, including Crusaders and mass suicide, are just some of the things this ground has seen.

It’s an ominous place that is as beautiful as it is disturbing. Atmospheric and eerie with rugged cliffs, powerful surf and foreboding skies, this part of Scotland feels as old as the stories Grace learns about it. The consecration makes good use of the lush landscape and stifling halls of the old silent monastery. The set pieces do much of the heavy lifting here, as they are steeped in history and ghosts. Before Grace even gets to the convent, she sees ghosts. Are they just the by-product of a grieving ghost or something else? Grace tells us that her brother thought she had a guardian angel. She doubted him, but as the film reaches its third act, it becomes clear that both siblings may be right.

There are clues throughout this film that should be obvious but remain as shadowy as the images Grace sees in myriad reflections. Usually it’s because they’re lost in a tapestry of misery and a confusing side story that doesn’t make sense until the last act. Family curses and tragedies intermingle, building layer upon layer of eerie ambiguity until you’re not sure whose side to be on. This is mainly because Malone and Huston play their respective roles so well. They each deliver just the amount of vulnerability and confidence that allows our minds to fill in the details when they aren’t there.

When the priest is sent from the Vatican to help with the investigation, Huston (Father Romero) is a menacing presence. He does these kinds of roles well, he plays just shy of menacing, so you never quite know which side of the aisle he’s on. He maintains this ambiguity throughout the ordination to good effect. Along with Detective Harris (Ferguson), he is one of the few people who at least tries to pretend things are normal. Almost absurd plot beats strip Grace of her agency and identity, and his normality balances that out.

Malone is a predictable bright spot who uses her trademark fierceness to guide her. She’s a more controlled version of the one we saw in Sucker Punch, but she’s no less steely. Her Grace is intelligent and capable, but has secrets she’s only just beginning to discover. The well-timed film does a great job of judiciously dishing out clues, allowing the viewer to form hypotheses about what’s really going on. That early, patient work makes the finale an intriguing reveal that begs for another watch.

Dedication raises a fascinating question. If one thing is good, does that mean the opposite is bad? It’s an intriguing idea that’s deliberately left vague even as the credits roll. Amazon’s The Boys recently struggled with the same questions. Are powers always destructive, even when used for good? The jury is still out with mixed results, but Smith’s film takes a similar approach in his film that takes a page out of his cult classic Triangle. Sometimes we are our saviors and our own worst enemy.

Beautifully shot by Rob Hart and Shaun Mone, the monastery and its halls are caught in the glint of candlelight, overcast days and shadows as dark as night. Every reflection can reveal a long-forgotten truth, and even the nun’s pure white attire conceals sinister motivations. Devotion wants you to question everything you see. Nothing is what it seems in this place of swirling mystery and fog.

IFC Midnight’s Consecration is less scary than creepy. It’s full of strangely unsettling set pieces and confusing behaviors that propel the plot forward until the back half twist surprises with a clear message. If you’re a fan of Smith’s previous work, you’ll recognize the plot devices he uses. They’re not used as cleverly in dedication, but it’s still effective. Consecration will be in cinemas from February 10, 2023.