We often tend to lose things which are extremely important to us. But then, out of nowhere, life give us a second chance to get back what we thought was gone forever. And guess what? There’s someone out there who’s hoping and wishing for our well-being. Even though we are going through difficult times and feeling a lot of pain, there’s a bigger reason for us to keep going. Our life has a purpose, and we are battling through the pain because our journey is about something greater than we could have and ever imagined. Similarly, the movie Sanctified revolves around Weston, an outlaw who once tried to steal from Sister Hildegard, a nun. But when Weston finds himself teetering on the delicate line between life and death, Sister Hildegard saves him because there is a lot more in store for him than just meeting his end in the Badlands.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Does Weston Want To Abandon His Life As An Outlaw?
Weston works for a tough and ruthless leader named Shaw, and they’ve been together since Weston was a kid. So, Weston’s been living under Shaw’s wing for a very long time. The thing is, Shaw molded Weston after his own image, kind of a copy of himself, and his big idea is for Weston to take over and lead his gang after Shaw’s gone. But guess what? Weston is not into that life at all. He dreams of a simple, regular life like most people have. But Shaw won’t let Weston off the hook. He’s always reminding Weston about how he saved his life when he was young, making Weston feel like he owes him big time. That’s a heavy load for Weston to carry. Even so, Weston’s had enough because it’s time to leave his past life behind and start anew.
But if Weston stops doing what Shaw says, things could get really dangerous. Shaw might even try to kill him. So, to make things easier, Weston gets together with his brother Emmett, and they hatch a plan. They want to get their share of the loot and make a run for it, leaving the Badlands behind. Emmett’s not so sure at first; he thinks Shaw’s been good to them, but somehow, Weston persuades him. They’re all set to escape the next morning and head to California. It’s a bold move, but Weston is ready to do anything to fulfill his dreams. However, the next morning, Weston’s plan hits a major roadblock as Emmett betrays him and reveals Weston’s escape plan to Shaw. He catches Weston right in the act, and he’s not in the mood for playing nice. Shaw gets really mean and hurts Weston pretty badly. To make matters worse, Shaw leaves him stranded out in the desert, basically setting him up to die out there.
Now, here’s where things get really interesting: Sister Hildegard stumbled upon Weston in this dire situation. Despite the rocky history between them, Sister Hildegard decides to be a real good Samaritan. She saves Weston from his desert predicament. Weston’s probably feeling pretty mixed up—surprised, maybe even a little embarrassed—that someone he once tried to hurt is now saving him. Sister Hildegard has her own plans, though. She’s got this mission, and she decides to take him along. At first, Weston is not too thrilled about teaming up with a nun who he almost tried to take down, but let’s be real, he’s not in the best shape. So, Weston doesn’t put up much of a fight.
What Leads To The Strong Friendship Between Weston And Sister Hildegard?
As Weston spends more time with Sister Hildegard, they both start realizing that they’ve been judging each other too quickly. They open up and share their thoughts, and suddenly, they’re not so different after all. But there’s this one big question bugging Weston. He can’t figure out why Sister Hildegard chose to be a nun when she could have had a happy life doing other stuff. It’s like a puzzle in his mind. Then, in a heart-to-heart talk, Sister Hildegard tells Weston about her painful past and this awful marriage she had. Her ex-husband was a real brute, and under the influence of alcohol, he did the unthinkable—he killed their two lovely daughters. It’s a story that cuts deep.
Somehow, Weston connects with her pain. He understands how it feels when one fails to have what they have always wanted in life. Sister Hildegard realizes that Weston isn’t really a believer in God. He’s kind of stuck in this mindset that his pain and suffering will never end, and it’s like his beliefs are limited to himself. But Sister Hildegard, being the wise person she is, tries to show Weston a different perspective. She helps him see that even in the darkest and most painful times, God’s love can shine really bright. But Weston’s a bit skeptical about this whole idea. He’s not fully convinced and doesn’t take it too seriously. Before they could dive into deeper conversations about this, something unexpected happened.
Weston steps out for a moment, and guess what? Shaw’s gang finds Sister Hildegard, and they launch an attack on her. This is where things get intense, and Weston sees this as an opportunity to hide and wait things out. As the night sets in, he goes all tough-guy and takes on Shaw’s men, even though he’s injured. Weston manages to fight them off, one by one. However, one person is left standing: Claire, Shaw’s best shooter. Instead of shooting them, Claire decides to turn around and leave to inform Shaw about their whereabouts.
‘Sanctified’ Ending, Explained: Does Weston Save Sister Hildegard?
As the film Sanctified moves on, things take a dramatic turn. Weston, feeling like he needs to go on this journey by himself, decides to leave Sister Hildegard behind. But then. Shaw finds Sister Hildegard and gets seriously rough with her. He’s furious because she lied to him about Weston. Meanwhile, Weston’s out on his own little adventure, and he stumbles upon something that hits him hard. He finds Sister Hildegard’s cross near the riverbank. And get this: he remembers that his brother Emmett had taken that cross from her when they first met, and this was enough for him to realize that Emmett might be in some real danger. So Weston dashes back, racing against time to save his brother. But when he gets there, it’s a heartbreaking scene.
Emmett’s in the same dire situation that Weston was in earlier. They share this deep, emotional moment, but the situation is so awful that Weston has to make a gut-wrenching decision. He ends up strangling his own brother to spare him more suffering. It’s a tough call, but Weston’s trying to spare him from a worse fate. Now, things take a turn for the better. With Emmett’s help, Weston figures out where Sister Hildegard is being kept. He rushes to the spot, and he’s got this desperate plea for Shaw. He begs him to spare Sister Hildegard because she’s not at fault here. During Sanctified‘s ending, things get really intense. Weston notices that Shaw isn’t showing any mercy to Sister Hildegard.
So he takes a bold step and attacks Shaw. But this leads to an all-out shootout, and it ends up as a one-on-one fight between Shaw and Weston. Unfortunately, Sister Hildegard is stuck right in the middle of it all. Sister Hildegard tries to stop the violence and get Shaw to calm down, but her efforts go in vain. Shaw ends up shooting her, and the same bullet hits Weston in the arm. However, Weston seizes the opportunity and shoots Shaw, finally putting an end to his monstrous reign. In his last words, Shaw tries to fool him by saying he’s proud of Weston, but Weston knows it’s just a lie. In the film’s closing moments, Weston holds Sister Hildegard as she passes away, buries their bodies on a clifftop, and sets out to fulfill Sister Hildegard’s unfinished tasks.
Weston makes sure that the special item, the monstrance, reaches the other sisters who were waiting for Sister Hildegard. As Weston tries to leave, another sister stops him and brings him inside. The movie shows us that Sister Hildegard’s purpose was to give Weston a chance at a better life so he could put an end to Shaw’s terrible rule. Despite everything she went through, Sister Hildegard never lost her faith and strength. Even though she’s gone, she gave Weston a chance to start anew, making the ultimate sacrifice. Sanctified is an action-packed film that rushes through without giving much backstory. It would have been even better if they had explored the characters’ relationships more deeply. The movie keeps you on the edge of your seat, but a deeper connection between the characters could have added more to the narrative.
