Religious horror has had a resurgence, especially religious horror featuring nuns. The First Omen and Immaculate are two recent examples. The Baby in the Basket is a film about a newborn that may or may not be the spawn of Satan and winds up in a remote Scottish monastery, left on the doorstep. The film’s moody tones create a chilling Gothic atmosphere that feels like an old-school Hammer movie.

The baby doesn’t arrive and upset the order at the monastery immediately. Instead, the film takes its time showcasing the various nuns. This includes Agnes (Amber Doig-Thorne), who eventually becomes convinced that the baby is evil. There’s also the rebellious Eleanor (Michaela Longden), Valerie (Elle O’Hara), the ever-so-stern Mother Superior (Maryam d’Abo), and the frightened Lucy Lisa Riesner), who’s so spooked by something she saw one night that she rarely speaks. There’s also groundskeeper Amos (Paul Barber), and his helper, Daniel, played by co-director and co-writer Nathan Shepka.

Of all the characters, a few stand out more than others. Eleanor’s defiant nature, which includes frequent trips to the inland for reasons unknown, is a sheer delight to watch. It’s evident Longden had some fun in the role. Daniel, meanwhile, suffers from PTSD after serving in WW II. He has some of the most memorable sequences on screen, including one in which he kills a bird by bashing it with a rock. He also lusts over some of the women. Agnes makes a good central character, especially during the last act when she becomes quite crazed and obsessed with the baby that may or may not be evil.

The film starts as a slow burn, brooding and plodding along, allowing for character development and the rich atmosphere to build. However, once the baby arrives, characters meet their demise and the violence, gore, and action ramp up quite quickly. Characters suddenly make decisions and take actions that wouldn’t have had happened if evil wasn’t afoot. In that regard, the baby makes for an interesting plot device and narrative trigger that forces characters into tough situations. They make decisions that may otherwise contradict their personalities, but they do so because they think the baby is either evil and needs to die, or it’s innocent and worth saving.

If I have one gripe about the film, it’s the cheesy special effects that give the baby horns, yellowish eyes, and other demonic traits. It looks silly and weighs down an otherwise strong indie film. Those moments distract from some of the ambiguity regarding the child that serves the film well. Daniel’s story also could have done with some fleshing out, playing up his time in WW II more and the aftermath on his psyche.

Some small gripes aside, The Baby in the Basket is another strong entry into the growing crop of recent religious horror movies, specifically ones featuring nuns. The Gothic tones serve the film well, establishing an eerie atmosphere that turns volatile once the baby mysteriously arrives. There are some strong performances here, too, especially from Doig-Thorne and Longden. Keep this film on your radar.