The Unholy (1988) Vestron Pictures/Horror RT: 102 minutes Rated R (graphic violence and gore, nudity, sexual references, language) Director: Camilo Vila Screenplay: Philip Yordan and Fernando Fonseca Music: Roger Bellon Cinematography: Henry Vargas Release date: April 22, 1988 (US) Cast: Ben Cross, Ned Beatty, William Russ, Jill Carroll, Hal Holbrook, Trevor Howard, Claudia Robinson, Nicole Fortier, Peter Frechette, Earleen Carey. Box Office: $6.3M (US)
Rating: ***
The Unholy is one of those movies that I saw on video because I missed it during its one-week run in theaters. It made no impression on me and ended up in the “Unmemorable Titles” section of my mental movie archives. All I remembered about it as I sat down to rewatch it is that it was one of those religious-themed deals in which a priest goes up against some unspeakable evil. I can’t rightfully call it an Exorcist knock-off since (1) it doesn’t deal with demonic possession and (2) nobody gets exorcised. There is, however, a demon that kills sinners in the act of sinning. This demon, known as “The Unholy”, usually takes the form of an attractive woman. The idea is to tempt the pure so she can claim their souls for Satan when they give in to sin. Sounds pretty silly, doesn’t it? Well, it is.
After surviving a 17-story fall without so much as a scratch, Father Michael (Cross, Chariots of Fire) is assigned to the St. Agnes parish in New Orleans. The church has been closed since the brutal murder of the previous priest three years earlier. The local archdiocese, represented by Archbishop Mosely (Holbrook, The Fog) and blind demonologist Father Silva (Howard, The Third Man), wants to leave things alone. Local police detective Lt. Stern (Beatty, The Big Easy), who informs Father Michael that two priests were actually murdered in the church, has no intention of letting it go.
His curiosity piqued, Father Michael goes to talk to Millie (Carroll, Psycho II), a waitress at a nearby occult-themed nightclub run by Luke (Russ, Wanted Dead or Alive), a man she insists is the Devil incarnate. She was the last one to see the priest before he got his throat ripped out. Despite his superiors’ orders to drop the matter, Father Michael continues his investigation. It’s revealed early on that he was sent to St. Agnes with a purpose. You see, Father Michael has been “chosen” to fight the demon and send it back to Hell. Who couldn’t have guessed that, right?
If I’m being honest here, The Unholy moves a bit too slow and has a cheap look to it. Stylistically, it reminds me of Witchboard. Thematically, it’s not unlike most religious-themed horror flicks. Plotwise, it reminds me of Angel Heart. Hell, it even takes place in New Orleans and has a Mickey Rourke lookalike in the cast (that would be William Russ). It’s totally derivative and completely far-fetched. Is the Catholic Church so all-powerful that it can cover up the brutal murders of two priests? Okay, maybe they are. But how do they cover up a man falling 17 stories and not getting splattered all over the sidewalk? You mean to tell me not a single witness talks to the press? Mosely says something about the church not liking miracles. Okay, whatever. The point is The Unholy is silly as hell. At the same time, it’s better than most of the crap that passes for horror today.
I do like that The Unholy has some cool gory scenes. Besides the aforementioned throat ripping, a man is eviscerated and hung upside down on a cross in the church. Another man bleeds profusely from his eyes and mouth. The only thing I could have done without is the dead dog on the altar. The demon effects are cheesy, but in a good way. They reminded me of the evil creatures in Ghoulies. I like the use of smoke and fog in the church in certain scenes. It adds atmosphere.
Directed by Camilo Vila (Unlawful Passage), The Unholy has an unusually strong cast. It’s sad when you realize you’re watching Howard in his final role (he died before the movie came out). He gets stuck with some of the movie’s dopiest dialogue. It’s a far cry from the likes of The Third Man, Brief Encounter and Gandhi. Cross is okay in the lead. As per this type of flick, his Father Michael questions his faith and purpose on more than one occasion. Beatty is pretty good as the driven cop. Carroll camps it up a bit as Millie, especially when she’s ranting and raving in a rubber room at the local psych ward. This comes after a violent confrontation with Luke who claims that the whole black magic motif is just an act. But is it? Speaking of Luke, Russ is okay in the role even if he isn’t wholly believable as a character. As for Holbrook, it’s always great to see him.
I gained a legit appreciation for The Unholy in the three decades since it first came out. It can be traced back to my love for 80s horror movies. In 2019, even the bad ones are pretty good when compared to modern fright flicks, most of which are fright-free. The Unholy has a couple of decent “BOO!” scenes, I’ll give it that. It’s hardly a classic, but it doesn’t suck either. In the end, I give it three stars because its heart is in the right place. It knows what it is and stays in its lane. What more could you want from a dumb 80s horror flick?
