This film has got great artistic skills, but it is very hard to make sense of the story. It's like the spheres of Dante's hell, skipping like a futon from sphere to sphere. I also learn that the equation priest plus nun means baby from hell... Exorcisms there are but not like the mainstream ones. Some freaky moments, but not to bad to digest.summasummarun is I sit with more questions than answer when I leave this one. It's barely recommendable-
42 Reviews
Too confusing and story not really well brought.
deloudelouvain26 March 2019
Beatus or Welcome To Mercy? Another movie with a confusing title. Is it one or the other, or is it both? Nobody really cares, but it's just confusing, just like the plot of the movie. It was way too confusing to keep me fully interested for the entire movie. Sometimes a simplier story telling is just way more effective than trying to be clever or artistic. The acting wasn't terrible, just not amazing either. There was definitely a dark ambiance due to the filming and soundtrack but the story just failed, it just fell unfinished and rushed at one point, or at least to me it did.
Hard to follow
jstilchen28 April 2020
Too long with a thinly spread story
antimonos27 June 2020
There is a story in this film, its just that it is told over too long a period of time. This film could either be made shorter or had a better script. It's filmed in Latvia but could be filmed anywhere as all you see are some wooden buildings and the inside of a church. I wouldn't recommend it as there are far better horror films on Netflix.
Now you see, now you don't
TheLittleSongbird13 November 2018
Was really intrigued by the concept, one of the most promising concepts for any film seen recently. Likewise with the attention grabbing title. The cover was creepy. Although the rating is as of now low, decided not to take it to mean it was going to be bad despite a lot of films seen recently with low ratings actually being that bad. Due to that there are low-rated films that to me were decent.
Seeing 'Welcome to Mercy', it may not be a great film and could have done much more with its potential. 'Welcome to Mercy' doesn't completely squander this potential though and there are good, the best very good, assets to the film, so it's far from a bad watch and a long way from a must avoid. Instead one of those watchable if uneven film worth a view once but not one of those films that will hold up to repeat viewings. Personal opinion of course.
Lets start off with the good things. 'Welcome to Mercy' looks surprisingly good, would go as far to call it great. It is very slick and stylish, with photography that does not look amateurish despite not being made on a big budget, and very atmospherically lit, a creepy moodiness is effectively evoked. The sound has an eeriness and doesn't come over as over-bearing or obvious.
Atmosphere-wise, 'Welcome to Mercy' is quite effective quite a lot of the time. There is an unsettling vibe, tension and jolting creepiness that keeps one glued, the build ups not too foreseeable and parts did make me bite my nails and my palms sweat. The third act is where the film is strongest, with great atmosphere and kept me engaged and glued to the seat, capped off by an unexpected ending. The acting is better than average and even most cases quite good.
However, the pacing is rather dull to begin with, parts could have been tightened and less stretched and not everything felt necessary, and some of the middle act could have done with more clarity in explanations, not everything makes as much sense as ought.
Despite not having a problem with the acting, the characters are thinly sketched with vague motivations and there are decisions that don't always ring true. The script tends to be pretty weak in momentum and flow (needed to be tighter and more natural) and didn't seem complete.
Overall, watchable and not a film to avoid but could have been much more. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Seeing 'Welcome to Mercy', it may not be a great film and could have done much more with its potential. 'Welcome to Mercy' doesn't completely squander this potential though and there are good, the best very good, assets to the film, so it's far from a bad watch and a long way from a must avoid. Instead one of those watchable if uneven film worth a view once but not one of those films that will hold up to repeat viewings. Personal opinion of course.
Lets start off with the good things. 'Welcome to Mercy' looks surprisingly good, would go as far to call it great. It is very slick and stylish, with photography that does not look amateurish despite not being made on a big budget, and very atmospherically lit, a creepy moodiness is effectively evoked. The sound has an eeriness and doesn't come over as over-bearing or obvious.
Atmosphere-wise, 'Welcome to Mercy' is quite effective quite a lot of the time. There is an unsettling vibe, tension and jolting creepiness that keeps one glued, the build ups not too foreseeable and parts did make me bite my nails and my palms sweat. The third act is where the film is strongest, with great atmosphere and kept me engaged and glued to the seat, capped off by an unexpected ending. The acting is better than average and even most cases quite good.
However, the pacing is rather dull to begin with, parts could have been tightened and less stretched and not everything felt necessary, and some of the middle act could have done with more clarity in explanations, not everything makes as much sense as ought.
Despite not having a problem with the acting, the characters are thinly sketched with vague motivations and there are decisions that don't always ring true. The script tends to be pretty weak in momentum and flow (needed to be tighter and more natural) and didn't seem complete.
Overall, watchable and not a film to avoid but could have been much more. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Good movie - worth watching
mjsreg5 November 2018
This is a well made movie with an interesting story line and you are never sure which direction it will go in until the end.
The acting is superb as with every character being believable and which take you into their world.
Well worth watching.
The acting is superb as with every character being believable and which take you into their world.
Well worth watching.
Had Potential
westsideschl7 November 2019
It had potential except that by the end I felt as if I wasted that viewing time. A slightly creative take on evil possession & exorcism, but for the most part same ol' same ol' female (almost always for some reason) - possessed; screams; looks, and at times, speaks demonically; floats a bit; tosses things about. The almost creative part is the inheritance of the possession. The downside, too many flashbacks & confusingly not clear what the background story is of her possession. Lighting was excessively dark, difficult to see for much of the film (I actually had to check my TV settings.). Positive: Good to see a film w/Latvian origins.
Unique spin on the Exorcism genre but...
stephenherman2 November 2018
Very unique spin on the Exorcism genre but you'll have to wait until the 3rd act (the reveal) for you to really appreciate it the film on a whole. It's well acted, very atmospheric, but the it's pretty slow until you get to the finale. It relied too heavily on the twist at the end and that wasn't enough to carry the entire film.
Take Sixth Sense of example. The big twist is what made that movie awesome, but even without the twist it's still a good entertaining film. That's all that needed to happen Welcome to Mercy, because they had everything else going for it. Just wish they would have spent more time developing the first 2/3 of the story as well as the did the end, then this could have made it's way up the ranks of exorcism classics. Missed opportunity here. But again, very unique take on it. I commend the writer for that.
Take Sixth Sense of example. The big twist is what made that movie awesome, but even without the twist it's still a good entertaining film. That's all that needed to happen Welcome to Mercy, because they had everything else going for it. Just wish they would have spent more time developing the first 2/3 of the story as well as the did the end, then this could have made it's way up the ranks of exorcism classics. Missed opportunity here. But again, very unique take on it. I commend the writer for that.
Dark Dreary Depressing so much potential
desertship-782466 November 2018
Atmospheric movie, great acting, good musical scores however not very well executed in terms of great story telling. There were many confusing moments, boring noir scenes, and dark depressing feeling of hopelessness, which I understand is the aim of the producers. However the confusingness of the whole ordeal left much to be desired.
Beautiful Film
sharon-148396 November 2018
A rich atmosphere thick journey into the exorcism mythos
scb_coldsteel15 November 2018
So I just saw Welcome to Mercy at the theater. I knew next to nothing about the movie walking in other than it was an independent horror film. It turns out knowing nothing about the film initially helped greatly as I watched the film with zero expectations of what would occur. Overall I enjoyed the film for what it was.
The initial plot of the film follows a woman who is visiting her estranged family and the supernatural events that lead to a possession. The woman is sent to a covenant where she encounters nuns filled with secrecy. No one is who they seem and at every turn the woman encounters secrets and dangers. From there the film evolves into a dense and atmospheric suspense driven mystery about just what is going on.
The best parts of the film definitely deals with twisting the viewers expectations. Is the film about possession? Is it a cult of supernatural nuns? Is it a psychological nightmare dealing with trauma and delusions? The film leads in so many directions it's easy to get wrapped up in your own hypothesis of what will happen next.
The film has a meticulously slow pace that constantly leaves you wondering which direction the film will head in. I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat wondering where this strange and suspenseful journey would take me.
The film is also very well directed. A lot of care was put into crafting a suspense driven and heavy atmosphere that constantly left you with a feeling of unease. Sound and cinematography were expertly used to keep you on the edge of your seat. The movie is wrapped in many layers of intrigue and provides a number of twists that I didn't see coming.
That all being said this is certainly not a film for everyone. It doesn't quite deliver on the traditional scares or provide any new ground on the exorcism mythos. The movie also had a few pacing issues that slowed it down to a snail's pace at times. The movie may also be a tad bit too ambitious for its own good as the ambiguity of the plot progress did feel a tad bit forced.
I enjoyed the film for what it was. It was far more of a densely textured atmospheric thick psychological journey than a traditional horror film. This is a case where the journey is more rewarding than the end. A 7.25 out of 10.
The initial plot of the film follows a woman who is visiting her estranged family and the supernatural events that lead to a possession. The woman is sent to a covenant where she encounters nuns filled with secrecy. No one is who they seem and at every turn the woman encounters secrets and dangers. From there the film evolves into a dense and atmospheric suspense driven mystery about just what is going on.
The best parts of the film definitely deals with twisting the viewers expectations. Is the film about possession? Is it a cult of supernatural nuns? Is it a psychological nightmare dealing with trauma and delusions? The film leads in so many directions it's easy to get wrapped up in your own hypothesis of what will happen next.
The film has a meticulously slow pace that constantly leaves you wondering which direction the film will head in. I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat wondering where this strange and suspenseful journey would take me.
The film is also very well directed. A lot of care was put into crafting a suspense driven and heavy atmosphere that constantly left you with a feeling of unease. Sound and cinematography were expertly used to keep you on the edge of your seat. The movie is wrapped in many layers of intrigue and provides a number of twists that I didn't see coming.
That all being said this is certainly not a film for everyone. It doesn't quite deliver on the traditional scares or provide any new ground on the exorcism mythos. The movie also had a few pacing issues that slowed it down to a snail's pace at times. The movie may also be a tad bit too ambitious for its own good as the ambiguity of the plot progress did feel a tad bit forced.
I enjoyed the film for what it was. It was far more of a densely textured atmospheric thick psychological journey than a traditional horror film. This is a case where the journey is more rewarding than the end. A 7.25 out of 10.
Didn't care of it one bit!
ScottDWhalen8 January 2019
Yea I didn't really care for this. Once it got to the end & the plot really laid out it started to make sense, but I was expecting some kind of horror movie out of this & it was NO WHERE NEAR it at all. Nearly every movie write that do "scary/horror" in my eyes need to go back to the drawing board! PERIOD!
Wrong genre and absolute garbage
ashley-kleynhans2 December 2018
This movie is supposedly a thriller but is actually more of a horror than a thriller. Its one of the worst horror movies ever made though. I am rating it a 1 out of 10 because I have to, but it actually deserves a negative rating for being such a load of garbage and waste of time. I have never seen a worse move than this in all my life. I want the wasted hours of my life back. The leading actress doesn't do a bad job of her acting skills, but the story is just stupid. Who in their right mind would think that this kind of story is anywhere near good? It is the kind of thing I would expect a pupil to write in a school essay, not something for an actual movie to be made about, it is not good enough for movie material. The people who decided that the script was worthy of making a movie deserve to be fired because they are clearly incompetent at their jobs.
So tired of this genre
darabisam10 April 2020
Nothing to do with stigmata, original movie/ enjoyed!
marta-241746 November 2018
It's not typical exorcism movie, even through Madeline gets stigmata. it's for different reason then in stigmata movie so not remake at all. I would say it's drama, thriller which have really original content and interesting story behind girl stigmata. I did enjoyed.
"Great modern horror movie"
Matt3453 November 2018
This is a movie of two common genres: one being the modern type of "great movie" which have all the density of test footage and in which basically nothing is going on, and the second is the type of horror film which tries to achieve "horror" primarily by annoyance, like unsettling sounds, even jump-scares galore (classily packaged, of course) and generally annoying behaviours of characters who are always strained, on edge or extremely hostile or screaming.
The result is something that cannot be called trash, but that can hardly be commended in any way either, unless you want to jump on the bandwagon.
Kept my interest until the end but couldn't see or hear half of what was going on
jackie55627 February 2021
Loved the Latvian scenery, enjoyed the story, the soundtrack was atmospheric etc but half of the movie was filmed at night with the lighting levels so low that it's hard to decipher what's actually happening, and the sound is just awful. There's quite a lot of whispered dialogue which you can't actually hear. I have no way of knowing if this inaudible dialogue was relevant to the plot.
The American actresses' 'Latvian' accents were hilarious.
I thought it was a fair film
vmalast5 December 2018
It wasn't great and it wasn't bad either. I'm definitely going to watch it again. I have no clue where other reviewers got the idea that this was supposed to be like the movie Stigmata. There is absolutely no plot comparison. Yes, a stigmata is shown very briefly in the film but, that's about it. It was well done and very interesting. If you're looking for blood and guts, you won't find it here. All in all a good film.
Don't believe the hype
orionhi18 August 2021
Beautifully Dreadful
matrick-173905 November 2018
The acting and directing was great. I love the way it was shot; It gives you this sense of unease. However, the way the story was told was beautiful. You can really get a feel for each character. If your looking for grotesque demons vomiting split pea soup, blood, gore, and jump scares, this is not that kind of movie. It is emotionally scary.
Great concept
Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews15 February 2022
On concept/ plot alone, this one was a banger. It edged on maybe being too convoluted with some unanswered questions but it felt very original and thought provoking to me. The pacing got off just a tad and probably could have had like 15 minutes shaved off of it. The acting all around was good, nothing outstanding but nothing bad by any means which is refreshing lol
I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. I feel like it has been forever since I have seen a concept that felt original, interesting and entertaining. It would probably be good for a rewatch to fully understand everything. Would recommend.
Certainly a Re-make
justinwadebkk10 May 2019
Many critics here say it is not a re-make but I suggest they watch Dead Waters or Dark Waters(1993-94) and say they are not basicly the same movie. A young woman goes to a convent on an island where the Nuns practice strange rituals. I watched both last night side-by-side and other than a few minor differences; they were the same movie much like Crone Wood and The Devil's Woods are the same movie except for a few plot differences.
Other than that I think the reviewers got it spot on, the movie could be better and could be worse but I think we've all had enough of evil convents and cults on island movies. I enjoyed this movie though. It was a nice way to kill the afternoon with some popcorn. The plot is unoriginal, and the acting is decent. No real surprises or twists here if you have seen other movies with similar themes.
It's really really and I mean really bad.
mochteam15 November 2021
Well I watched the entire movie from start to finish. It was quite a ride. The plot is jumbled together and often leaves the viewer confused as scenes seem to skip without context. In the end it seems to make sense of things but the majority of the movie is laid out in a way that is less than satisfying to sit down and watch.
What I mean by that is that the movie doesn't flow very well. This happens, then that happens... then this happens and you're just scratching your head trying to piece together what in the world it is that you're watching.
It's a film that makes you wonder why would anyone bother to release it when it feels so mangled and incomplete. This movie should not have gotten a green light. It's really kind of amateurish and underdone. The film work was all over the place. Giant closeups of peoples faces to the point you could see their pores and blemishes, overly dark scenes where you can't see anything, the fish eye cam that looks like it was done with a go-pro... all the worst cinematography you can imagine is in this.
The acting... you can't blame an actor when the plot of a movie is as bad as this one. The acting was fine and decent. I don't believe that is what made this movie fall apart. It's the story itself and the filming. The production of this movie is an atrocity that should be exorcised itself. I actually couldn't wait for it to be over and it also happened to be one of those movies that wants to have a "gotcha" ending. The cherry on top of the awful movie cake.
Watch it as your own risk.
What I mean by that is that the movie doesn't flow very well. This happens, then that happens... then this happens and you're just scratching your head trying to piece together what in the world it is that you're watching.
It's a film that makes you wonder why would anyone bother to release it when it feels so mangled and incomplete. This movie should not have gotten a green light. It's really kind of amateurish and underdone. The film work was all over the place. Giant closeups of peoples faces to the point you could see their pores and blemishes, overly dark scenes where you can't see anything, the fish eye cam that looks like it was done with a go-pro... all the worst cinematography you can imagine is in this.
The acting... you can't blame an actor when the plot of a movie is as bad as this one. The acting was fine and decent. I don't believe that is what made this movie fall apart. It's the story itself and the filming. The production of this movie is an atrocity that should be exorcised itself. I actually couldn't wait for it to be over and it also happened to be one of those movies that wants to have a "gotcha" ending. The cherry on top of the awful movie cake.
Watch it as your own risk.
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