Sister Death Review: Mediocre Horror With Stunning Visuals

Sister Death Review: The Netflix film, also known as Hermana Muerte, stars Aria Bedmar as Narcisa, Almudena Amor as Hermana Socorro, Maru Valdivielso as Hermana Julia, Luisa Merelas as Madre Superiora, Consuelo Trujillo as Hermana Muerte, Chelo Vivares as Hermana Sagrario, Sara Roch as Rosa, and Olimpia Roch as Elvirita. The Spanish horror film is written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria and directed by Paco Plaza. The runtime is 89 minutes.

Sister Death Trailer

Sister Death Review Contains No Spoilers

Sister Death Review: Plot Summary

Sister Death on Netflix is set in post-war Spain, where Sister Narcisa, a young nun, joins a former convent as a teacher. Soon, Narcisa starts to experience strange things as many hidden secrets torment the schoolgirls and her. Will she ever find out what’s wrong?

Sister Death Movie Review: Discussion

Director Paco Plaza is back on Netflix to treat fans to another horror flick after Veronica (2017). Sister Death is a prequel to the 2017 film where the character of Sister Narcisa got everyone’s attention. Paco and writer Jorge have come together to tell us the story of why Narcisa is the way she is, seeing things clearly despite not having a clear vision. But is the new movie any good? Sadly no.

The Netflix film is divided into three chapters, which felt unnecessary. The first hour focuses on building up events that intend to freak you out. While the first 20 minutes intrigue you, the lack of scary elements fails to keep you interested. Despite having all the standard set-up that makes such nuns or religious horrors intriguing, the movie fails to provide anything distinct.

The last 30 minutes are where all the secrets start to unfold. I must say, the revelation is heartbreaking and tragic. The scenes are loud, as they’re filled with screams, blood, and abuse. The women already bear the consequences of war for doing nothing wrong, but those who preach goodness under the guise of their religious practices, are equally monstrous.

The director succeeds in making you feel uneasy as he unveils what haunts the school for years. But Paco’s main motive, which is to cause fear, isn’t achieved. Towards the end, we see how he connects Narcisa’s world with Veronica. It’s not a surprise twist, as that’s expected when he has to connect both worlds.

Also Read: Halloween 2023: Best Turkish Horror Movies to Watch That’ll Give You the Heebie-Jeebies

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. The sound of the chair falling, water flowing over the tap, or even the wind gushing are key contributors to making the film an audio and visual treat.

Sister Death Review: Final Thoughts

Overall, Paco’s new film is cinematically and visually appealing and packs in all the elements of religious horror movies. Sadly, the story is too mediocre, lacking terror and uniqueness.

Aria Bedmar gives her best as Sister Narcisa. But despite all the 90 minutes, we only know how she became what we saw in Veronica. There’s very little to understand about her upbringing, the accusations the other sister made against her for not being honest in her duties, her self-harm tendencies, and her background before she dealt with the atrocities of religious schools.

Sister Death 2023 aka Hermana Muerte is now streaming on Netflix.

Have you watched the movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Also Read: Halloween 2023: Best Spanish Horror Movies That’ll Fill You With Fear and Fright