#truebookaddict - 4/10. The headline of an article on Daily Beast "Inside the Terrifying 'Saint Maud,' the First Great Horror Movie of 2021." Unfortunately, I have to disagree. "Saint Maud" is an A24 movie and anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of their movies. The "Blackcoat's Daughter," "It Comes At Night," "The Killing of a Sacred Deer," "The Lighthouse," and three of my most favorite movies, "The Witch," "Hereditary" and "Midsommar." "Saint Maud" definitely fits the style of those movies in some ways (slow burn, creepy moments), but not enough to be called "Terrifying." I was not terrified. Yes, Maud's religious fervor could be construed as terrifying to those of us who do not identify as religious, but that, I believe, is stretching the context of what is scary. Religion has been used to good effect to terrify and disturb (see "The Witch"), but not so much in this movie. The performances are good. Jennifer Ehle as Maud's patient was excellent as always. Morfydd Clark does portray Maud with intensity, but it's not enough to truly be scary. Luckily, the movie is only around 84 minutes, but when the most terrifying part of the movie (more gross than terrifying) is at the very beginning, watching the rest is just a let down.
