Sister Death is a 2023 Spanish supernatural horror film about a novice nun with paranormal powers who joins a school to teach young girls. The movie is a prequel to the chilling Verónica (2017).
Directed by Paco Plaza (The Grandmother; Verónica; Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt; [REC] films) from a screenplay written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria.
Produced by Pablo Cruz, Enrique López Lavigne and Diego Suarez Chialvo. Executive produced by Pablo Fernández Masó.
The El Estudio-Netflix co-production stars Almudena Amor, Aria Bedmar, Consuelo Trujillo, Pablo Guisa Koestinger, Maru Valdivielso, Sara Roch, Olimpia Roch, Luisa Merelas, Chelo Vivares, Daniela Casas, Claudia Fernández Arroyo, Adriana Camarena and Marina Delgado.
Plot:
In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with paranormal powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher.
As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead her to unravel the terrible skein of secrets that surround the convent and haunt its inhabitants…
Reviews:
“A very careful production with a personal touch and a truly disturbing result that is absolutely nothing like Verónica, searching for her own personality, linked to her director. Yes, it may not be the most original horror film, but it is undoubtedly a very interesting example of genre cinema with a very good cast and a very powerful visual style.” ★★★½ Acción Cine [translated from Spanish]
“Sister Death is as beautiful as it is scary. Using beautiful cinematography and precise framing, the visual narrative of the film stands out. While the dialogue in the convent twists the tense knife, the visuals of the film place it firmly at your chest. This only intensifies the closer Narcisa gets to discovering the truth, making the last act of the film a loud and terrifying end.” 8.5 out of 10, But Why Tho?
“Paco Plaza tricks you into thinking that he’s going to hold back on the scares because of the mellow first half. But as soon as the second half kicks in, he brings out the fireworks, sometimes quite literally. It is one of the most gorgeous-looking horror films I have come across recently, which is a compliment that we can’t usually bestow upon horror films very often, especially due to the bad lighting choices.” DMT
” …I was a bit disappointed with parts of this movie that may be mostly due to high expectations. Fortunately, the ending of Sister Death more than made up for this. The entire third act was an absolute pleasure to watch. Or, you know, maybe “pleasure” isn’t the right word as this is a horror movie and things get a little crazy. And brutal. An absolute horror movie pleasure, I suppose.” ★★★ Heaven of Horror
“Netflix’s Spanish horror film Sister Death fails to give us a riveting and powerful spooky tale. But what the director gets right is the execution. Director Paco Plaza and cinematographer Daniel Fernández Abelló have woven many stunning frames together. Using just white and brown and several still and ASMR shots helps one stay focused on the main subject and other crucial elements.” Leisure Byte
“The only thing bringing this segment of the film down is its electronic and bass-heavy soundtrack for its horror set-pieces, which doesn’t fit with the atmosphere Plaza is curating. It seems interesting that Paco Plaza has always found a way to do something different within his filmography. And even though Sister Death is a prequel, plenty of stylistic choices show us another side of the Spanish filmmaker, even if he’s using many genre tropes.” ★★★½ Loud and Clear
“Is any of this shocking? No. Is it even remotely chilling? Absolutely no. If the other sisters had been more than mere cardboard cutouts, the bloody revenge could have been bloody satisfying. So basically, you are left with a horror film where the ghost, as well as the unholy message, fails to send a chill up or down your spine.” 4 out of 10, Midgard Times
“In the cast we find Aria Bedmar, in charge of giving life to Sister Narcisa, I did not know this actress and the truth is that she is wonderful. With an angelic face and a very sweet voice, she makes us truly believe that we are looking at a novice. Of course, her chilling screams will give you goosebumps.” Movie Mentarios [translated from Spanish]
“It is more about the dread of what is happening before we learn a much more shocking truth. This movie uses the environment and concept to create an impending dread of what happened in the past. It sizzles along without giving too much away before revealing the much darker truth.” Movie Reviews 101
“A cinematic slow-burner that will no doubt polarize horror fans this Halloween. Sister Death has its moments, delivering sparse yet effective scares and gore, but the film’s leisurely pace just isn’t worth the pay-offs in a significantly improved final third.” ★★½ Ready Steady Cut
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