The Nun II
review by Bobby Blakey
I have been a fan of James Wan since he burst on the screen alongside Leigh Whannell with SAW. Since then he has had his hands in numerous horror franchises including The Conjuring Universe that has now delivered 3 films focusing on the Warrens as well as 5 spin-offs of Annabelle, La Llorona and The Nun. Now we are finally returning to the popular franchise with the latest chapter The Nun II starring Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, and Bonnie Aarons with the Curse of La Llorona and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It director Michael Chaves at the helm. Could this next chapter add more horror fun to the franchise or does it not have enough faith in itself?
The Nun II follows the events of the first film, with the evil has now begun to spread in 1956 throughout a town in France as word gets out that a priest has been violently murdered. A finished contemplative in her novitiate, Sister Irene, begins to investigate the murder, only to find a demon behind it -- the same evil that terrorized her in the original film as a nun -- Valak, whom she once again soon comes to encounter.
I think of all the films in this franchise the Nun character is easily the creepiest and lends itself to some great visuals. Matched with a good story that has found its way into numerous chapters it is only right that it spawned its own franchise that stands on its own, but firmly planted in the rest of the world. I was worried how they were going to make this one work with the last outing having the perfect circle back to the original Conjuring, but also knew there were still years to play with to get there.
This outing waste not time bringing the chaos front and center with a cool
sequence that sets up the coming evil. I was so happy to see how closely it kept with continuing what they set up in the first film. It offers up two stories that are on a collision course to the same thing that makes it interesting allowing both sister Irene and Frenchie to have their own time to set up their arcs before getting them back together. The story is not all that different than the first since we are dealing with the same evil so the pacing is a bit slow at times, but still manages to keep you engaged and ready to see where it is all headed.
I was pretty annoyed with some of the girls at the school which I know some are by design, but others is just the non-stop screaming during the last act. I know there is insanity and fear happening, but it just doesn’t let up for so long I was just getting aggravated by it. It is solely my own issue and nothing wrong with the film. The cast are all good, but its Bonnie Aarons as the Nun that stills the show. Surprisingly there is more than just her visual to experience this time around that steps its game up, but every time she steps on screen it is just visual awesomeness.
On the side of the visuals of the film they are outstanding. There are so many beautifully horrific shots and execution to create the jump scares. The old architecture is a character all its own and lends to some amazing shadows and transitions for the Nun to creep around in. The new additions, one in particular, is pretty awesome all its own and love the execution and chaotic nature of it.
This is another great chapter in this franchise that once again brings more depth to the world building they have been doing. I was on the fence with the ending, but the mid-credit scene brings it all together and lends itself to multiple options for more entries of some kind to the Conjuring Universe.
In addition to the film this release offers up bonus content including featurettes taking audiences behind this latest chapter of the Conjuring Universe. Prepare for confession and grab your copy of The Nun II available now on digital and then on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on November 14th from Warner Bros Home Entertainment.