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The Unholy

Play trailer Poster for The Unholy R 1988 1h 40m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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25% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 44% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
An archbishop (Hal Holbrook) puts a priest (Ben Cross) in a New Orleans parish where Satan poses as a temptress in black.

Critics Reviews

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Anton Bitel Little White Lies 02/25/2019
...one priest's prosaic struggle neither to break his vows nor to exploit sexually a young ward is another's epic, eternal battle between good and evil - and The Unholy tells it both ways... Go to Full Review
Walter Goodman New York Times 08/30/2004
There's enough dry ice and tomato sauce laid on to supply a fast-food joint for a couple of years. Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 06/28/2022
The Unholy has many good ideas but it's bothersome to see how it all goes to waste in the end. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 11/08/2021
2/4
It's hard for a movie to maintain any measure of tension when most of its demons look like Ghoulies rejects. Go to Full Review
John Higgins Starburst 02/19/2019
6/10
After a bright and bloody opening, the film settles into a more mystical story before building to an atmospheric, if silly, climax. Go to Full Review
Chuck O'Leary Fantastica Daily 10/20/2005
1/5
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Audience Reviews

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Jason H Aug 7 The finale has some of the hokiest special effects I've ever seen. See more Nick O May 22 If The Exorcist was made in the 80’s with no budget and written by a teenage kid obsessed with monster movies…so you know it’s good! See more 07/09/2024 I watched it in the theater in 1988 during its original release and was extremely intrigued with the story. The special effects were typical 80’s with animatronics and dry ice… but all horror movies were that way back in the day. To me it’s about the story and the battle between Good vs Evil! I like how the Father Michael resisted his calling till he was unable to deny the supernatural existence any longer. The final battle was psychological warfare and physical warfare which is my guess the audience at the time wasn’t used to. Most horror flicks you just left your brain at the door and picked it up on the way out. But this was a psychological thriller and a horror movie wrapped up in one which is why it was a must buy once it finally came out on DVD! Much better than the current rotten tomato rating! Just remember it’s an 80’s movie… no CGI or AI, but if you enjoy a good storyline… this delivers! See more 02/10/2018 Kind of interesting and atmospheric, but ultimately, it kept losing my interest. My mind kept wandering the whole movie, to the point I had to rewind it three times, and I still don't fully understand what was going on. That's not a good sign... The awful creature effects didn't help its cause. See more 12/08/2016 no se entiende muy bien el propósito del demonio al matar a los curas. See more 10/20/2013 Little-Known Horror Gem, Which Features Priests & Demons & No Demonic Possessions. Which Gives This Film A Watch Factor As Most Big Demonic Films Are Exorcism Related. This Features A Demon Known As The Unholy Who Between Good Friday & Easter Sunday Will Attack Both Priests And Virgins. A Young Priest (Ben Cross) Is Assigned To A Church By Archbishop Mosley (Hal Holbrook), But The Last Two Priests Were Mysteriously Killed By The Demon. A Well Made Film With Almost An Original Plot That's Worth Watching For A Difference In Story. See more Read all reviews
The Unholy

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Movie Info

Synopsis An archbishop (Hal Holbrook) puts a priest (Ben Cross) in a New Orleans parish where Satan poses as a temptress in black.
Director
Camilo Vila
Screenwriter
Philip Yordan, Fernando Fonseca, Henry Vargas
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 1, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.5M
Runtime
1h 40m
Sound Mix
Surround