Some might say that religious figures are an easy target for movies, TV shows, and skeptics alike when it comes to spreading the fictional tales that have been plentiful over the years, but one thing that these people should be thinking about is that if something is thrust into the public eye and asked to be accepted, it’s already given permission to be displayed in a number of different ways. As positive as religion is meant to be, and as vital as some see it to be, there will always be skeptics, doubters, and those that fall headfirst into it without thinking. The Unholy focuses on a woman that believes she is channeling the power of the Virgin Mary as she gains the power to heal the sick and wounded. This miracle of course draws a reporter that is looking to revive his career, a role which will be taken by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who has proven himself in a big way thanks to his time on The Walking Dead and in various movies. Morgan’s character interviews the woman, and according to the trailer, this is when the disturbances really begin as the idea that this woman is a faith healer takes off and millions hear of her abilities, while mobs of people flock to her in order to be healed of their ills. There’s no doubt that even in the modern era that if a true faith healer was seen to possess these types of abilities that people would give pretty much anything to have her lay on hands and perform a genuine act of healing. The only question after that would what the price might be.
The idea of believing in faith healing is something that has been around for a very long time, but healing on this level is something that one can’t help but be a little nervous about since getting something without a price being attached to it is tough for some people to accept. But the moment that the shrouded entity starts to appear one can reasonably assume that there’s a price and that it’s bound to be something that people aren’t going to be willing, or able, to pay. The fact that Morgan’s character is getting the woman’s message out to the world almost brings to mind entities such as the one that was present in Truth or Dare, a demonic creature that wants the exposure, that needs it to thrive and to continue forward with its purpose. So far the trailer shows this entity as something dark, foreboding, and no doubt to be feared, and there’s nothing else to say other than it’s bound to be an entity that the church has attempted to forget and bury in the past, since calling it The Unholy is a sure way to remember it without putting a name to the evil that is bound to be behind what Mary is being given the credit for.
Horror movies that are steeped in religion are typically those that attract a lot of people for one reason or another, either because some people are entirely devout and still love a good horror flick, or because a person wants to see organized religion being knocked down a peg or two in the movies. The latter is a guilty admission that some people can’t help but want to see since the truth is that religion, for all of its upsides, has created a schism within the world wherever it touches since Christianity especially has been seen as an infection to some even as it’s been used to save the souls of so many in the words of those that practice it. But Christianity does have its deep, dark secrets that have been hidden away, omitted, or otherwise ignored for many years, no matter what documents say and what the many teachings have to offer. While some Christians might not want to admit that this movie does make a good deal of sense, despite being fiction, the unfortunate truth is that Christianity, for all that it’s lauded as a religion of tolerance and love, is a religion that has been used to justify many horrible things over the years. Like anything in this world though, it’s the application of the religion that gives it the impression of being either benevolent or malevolent. Christianity on its own isn’t evil, but when used in movies such as this it does take on a fairly dark light since the understanding, and in some peoples’ minds the belief, that the religion might harbor some truly dark secrets, comes to light and starts to influence those that aren’t truly certain of what’s true and what’s not.
When all is said and done, this movie looks like it’s bound to be creepy as hell and might deliver a devilish thrill that horror lovers will enjoy.
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