The Nun II is an gothic supernatural horror film directed by Michael Chaves and released in 2023. The screenplay is written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and Akela Cooper, based on a story by Cooper. This movie serves as a sequel to the 2018 film, The Nun, and is the eighth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise. The cast includes Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, and Bonnie Aarons, who reprise their roles from the first film, along with Storm Reid and Anna Popplewell joining the cast.
As a good sequel, “The Nun II” once again focuses on the elements that made the first one successful: lots of scares and a gothic atmosphere (they say now) with a photography style that emphasizes light and shadow.
Caravaggio’s tenebrism seems to still have its followers, as similar themes are combined, although this time with fewer distorted angles and more scares.
“The Nun II” is one of those movies where you expect each subsequent “scare” to be more frightening than the previous one.
In “The Nun II,” there are some scares that are better than others. As for the movie’s structure, character development, and narrative, they may leave something to be desired. However, fans have come here to have their hearts racing, and this dark atmosphere may achieve just that.
Halloween is approaching, and it seems that once again, it will be one of the most popular costumes.
Plot
The story takes place in 1956 France, where a priest is brutally murdered. Sister Irene, who previously confronted the demon Valak in Romania, is assigned to investigate the case. She is accompanied by Sister Jeanne, a young novice, and Father Frenchie, a French priest. As Irene and her companions delve into the murder investigation, they uncover a long-hidden secret with roots that go back centuries. They also come to realize that Valak, the demon they thought they defeated, is still alive and more powerful than ever before.
“The Nun II. Movie review
Since gothic is no longer related to architecture but rather to the dark landscapes (which were once called romantic), cinema has relied on these stunning landscapes to create its good horror movies. “The Nun II” is not the best, by any means, but it is the most modern one and has the most advanced CGI, resulting in a fantastic visual experience. The movie luxuriates in its photographic quality, constantly playing with shadows and more. We are not dealing with a masterpiece of framing, but the film defends itself very well in that sought-after darkness.
As for what it offers to the viewer: one scare after another, we repeat. “The Nun II” is a succession of well-crafted shots that inevitably lead us to the vision of the movie poster, repeated endlessly without anyone seeming to seek any meaning in the story they came to tell.
It seems that with its imagery and all the management of pictorial baroque, the movie has enough elements to frighten us and limits itself to that, constantly resorting to the common landscapes of classic horror movies.
Our Opinion
Neither dismissible nor recommendable: a movie that knows what it wants and who its target audience is.
Without surprises or originality.
Director
Michael Chaves is an accomplished American filmmaker who has worked in various roles such as director, screenwriter, visual effects artist, editor, and executive producer. He gained recognition for his contributions to the miniseries Chase Champion and the critically acclaimed theatrical films The Curse of La Llorona and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Chaves initially directed a number of short films, one of which, titled The Maiden, received the prestigious Best Super Short Horror Film Award at Shriekfest 2016. Additionally, he created the television series Chase Champion and directed all of its episodes. Chaves then made his foray into feature-length filmmaking with notable horror films like The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and The Nun 2. These movies, which were produced by James Wan, serve as the sixth, eighth, and ninth installments of The Conjuring Universe, respectively. Furthermore, Chaves has signed on to direct another horror film titled The Reckoning, in collaboration with Michael Bay, Bradley Fuller, and Andrew Form under Platinum Dunes. The script for this project has been written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan.
The Cast
Taissa Farmiga, an American actress, was born on August 17, 1994. She hails from Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and is the younger sister of actress Vera Farmiga. Known for her appearances in numerous horror films, she has gained recognition as a prominent scream queen. Read more
