Sydney Sweeney’s popularity is interesting to consider. I’ve heard some suggest that it’s her busty blonde beauty alone that drives the attention far more than anything acting related. While it’s easy to question the validity of such speculation, especially considering the really good small screen performances in her catalog, Sweeney’s shaky at best big screen work does make you wonder what’s the draw.

Sweeney’s new film “Immaculate” (which she also produces) is a fairly nice change of pace for the 26-year-old actress. It’s yet another entry into the nunsploitation (I love that word) sub-genre that attempts to mix religious and psychological horror. Directed by Michael Mohan and written by Andrew Lobel, the film premiered earlier this month at South by Southwest and received some pretty good early buzz.

In a lot of ways “Immaculate” is just more of the same. We get the creepy religious imagery, the exaggerated spins on Christian theology, and the twisted incorporation of (mostly) Catholic rituals and dogma. Then there are the endless genre gimmicks – creaking doors, eerie figures in the shadows, and those darned flashlights that only halfway work when you need them most. And of course there’s the smattering of cheap jump scares that seem to come baked into nearly every horror movie of our day.

To its credit “Immaculate” is built around a pretty wacky idea – one Mohan and Lobel could have really ran wild with. Sadly the filmmakers leave most of that gonzo potential untapped. Instead they’re content with using their idea for religious shock value rather than with doing anything else. You’ll also notice they introduce several things throughout the movie that mostly go unexplored. It’s a reoccurring frustration that becomes more and more noticeable.

Sweeney plays the wide-eyed and thinly-sketched Sister Cecilia, a sweet young American nun who travels to Italy at the behest of Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) after her Detroit parish closes. Father Tedeschi has invited her to join his isolated convent nestled in the Italian countryside. It has all the spooky amenities courtesy of Adam Reamer’s richly detailed production design. He along with cinematographer Elisha Christian do a good job setting the mood. And it’s especially impressive considering the film’s modest $9 million budget.

Once Sister Cecilia arrives she’s introduced to the crusty Mother Superior (Dora Romano). Later she’s given a tour by the ice-cold Sister Isabelle (Giulia Heathfield Di Renzi). And she eventually befriends the rebellious Sister Gwen (Benedetta Porcaroli). But there are some pretty clear signs that not all is as it seems (at least for anyone who has seen a nunsploitation horror flick). And it really comes to a head after Sister Cecilia is discovered to be pregnant despite still being a virgin (hence the movie’s pretty pointed title).

Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the movie’s surprise twist or the crazy place it chooses to go. I’ll just say it does build up some pretty good suspense even with a few noticeable blunders. It all eventually leads to a blood-soaked finish where “Immaculate” takes the form of a campy B-movie while finally letting Sweeney loose. It’s a welcomed shift but not quite enough to deliver an ending that’s as satisfying as it thinks it is.

To its credit, “Immaculate” creates and maintains an eerie atmosphere throughout and it does a good job planting us into its unsettling setting. Meanwhile fans of blood and gore will love some of the things Mohan and his team throw at us. But those things aren’t enough to cover the film’s biggest issue – its script.

It starts with Cecilia who we learn so little about. We’re told of a past tragedy and a dramatic spiritual transformation but only in the vaguest of terms. And we barely get any explanation as to why she would accept an invitation to a convent all the way in Italy. As for the convent, even less is revealed about it and its obvious dark history. There are so many questions. For instance, what’s the deal with those black robed figures in the crimson red masks who pop up at the most random times?

Unfortunately for “Immaculate” it seems some of its bigger interests are in being provocative and shocking (some of the film’s most recent marketing backs that up). It’s a shame because a little more focus on character and storytelling could have made it stand out from the pack. As it is “Immaculate” exists alongside many other movies that basically do the same thing. That will be enough for some. But those wanting more will have to wait for the next nunsploitation movie to come down the pike. “Immaculate” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2 STARS