The Nun 2 Movie Review: Sinister Valak, handful jump scares is all there is to watch

Horror as a genre need not be restricted by its tropes. While many may believe it to be limited to the bait-and-switch jump-scare tactics, blood and gore, a door closing in slowly coupled with that eerie sound effect or a fog-machine-induced 'oh-so-scary' atmosphere, there are numerous instances of horror films going beyond the obvious. Ari Aster’s Hereditary (2018) is one of them. It shows that horror extends beyond the fear of life and death. The Conjuring (2013) also transcends these tropes with brilliant cinematography and music that elevates its intriguing plotline. 

The Nun II, which is the ninth entry in The Conjuring Universe, ironically turns out to be yet another cliched horror film. The Conjuring felt warm against the dark and brooding forces of evil. The Nun II, on the other hand, feels only superficially related to its predecessors. It does not possess the same humane charm that made the franchise popular among horror film lovers. Despite its run-of-the-mill status, The Nun II is most impactful where it executes standard horror moments without tipping the balance.

3 things you need to know:

• The Nun II is directed by Michael Chaves.
• The script is written by Akela Cooper, who penned M3GAN.
• The WB film has been produced by James Wan and Peter Safran.

Hot Take

The Nun II thrives tremendously when it comes to its practical effects. While they were quite good in the initial entries -- The Conjuring and The Conjuring II-- other spin-offs seem as though they suffer from a lack of attention. The Curse of La Llorona (2019) and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) suffered from the same problems. Even if it comes at the expense of a story that is not engaging, The Nun II more than delivers by ramping up how intense and engaging it is from a horror perspective. 

(The Nun II features Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene | Image: IMDb)

Does The Nun II live up to the hype?

The Nun 2, a sequel to the 2018 film, is an improvement. The first film was helmed by Colin Hardy, who is known for The Hallow (2015), and the still-pipelined film The Crow, which at one point was supposed to feature Jason Momoa. Michael Chaves, who has directed the last two titles in The Conjuring series, feels like he’s become comfortable with the genre and the horror universe. 

Chaves made his directorial debut with The Curse of La Llorona (2019), and after the jump-scare infused The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), he seems to know what he feels in charge of the narrative. This sudden uptick in quality is discernible from an aesthetic point of view, which can be seen best in the newsstand scene. It is as memorable as the painting scene from The Conjuring II, if not more. 

( A still from The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It | Image: IMDb) 

However, the story once again falls flat on its face. One dynamic from the previous film, which focuses on Maurice and Irene, becomes reversed. While Sister Irene might have needed saving, it is now Maurice who needs protection. This works to an extent. Their dynamic lends nothing interesting to the film, just like in The Nun. This is why it appears time and again that from a storytelling standpoint, The Nun II keeps having the same pitfalls as its predecessors.

As far as performances are concerned, Bonnie Aarons once again plays the role of the demon Valak to eerie perfection. Taissa Farmiga, who obviously feels a lot like her sister, sells her role to perfection but doesn’t get the personalised treatment that her character got in the first installment. 

Watch it or skip it?

If there is anything that The Nun II does right, it’s fan service. There are plenty of jump scares that will leave you shell-shocked. In the initial half of the film, they are well-timed and feature often. However, the second half is gory, which The Conjuring Universe is not. 

(A still from The Conjuring Part 2, which features the demon Valek | Image: IMDb)

Callbacks and foreshadowing to moments that viewers might source from previous entries in The Conjuring Universe are plenty. In this case, those caught up with the franchise might find it to be a pleasurable watch. 

Bottomline 

The Nun II delivers age-old horror tropes in a new aesthetic package. Even if you’ve seen things in The Nun II that seem repetitive, at least it manages to look cool while doing it. 

Rating: 2.5/5