chOz Perkins’ The Blackcoat’s Daughter is yet another example of a horror movie trying to employ a stylish mood to obscure its vacuous substance.

The former is aided by the inherent creepiness of the old religious boarding school setting, which I wish more directors would utilize to great – and easy! – effect.

Overall, it’s a slooooow burn that quickly fizzles to nothing, falling prey to the irritating tendency of manipulatively withholding crucial plot points to artificially drum up mystery, suspense, and, you know, basic interest. If a premise is strong enough, it doesn’t need so much masking to unfold in an engaging way.

As for the two talented leads, Kiernan Shipka (SALLY DRAPER!!!) needs to work more, and though I like Emma Roberts, her filmography is basically comprised of bad movies and derivatively quirky and thus forgettable (though enjoyable) indies.