Synopsis and Review: The Nun II (2023), A Party for Jumpscare Lover
Synopsis and Review-”The Nun II,” also recognized as “The Nun: Chapter Two,” is a 2023 American supernatural horror movie with a gothic touch. Michael Chaves directed it, and the screenplay was crafted by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and Akela Cooper, based on a story by Cooper. This film acts as a follow-up to “The Nun” (2018) and is the eighth installment in The Conjuring Universe series. The cast includes returning actors Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, and Bonnie Aarons from the initial film, along with newcomers Storm Reid and Anna Popplewell. Producers Peter Safran and James Wan are back to oversee the project.
Synopsis:
Continuing the mysterious gothic horror tale, this sequel revolves around a potent evil force that brings supernatural havoc to anyone it touches. Following the occurrences in the initial movie, this malevolent entity starts spreading in 1956 across a French town. The trigger is the news of a priest’s brutal murder. Sister Irene, who completed her contemplative phase as a novice, takes it upon herself to probe the killing. To her surprise, she discovers a demon is responsible — the very same evil entity, Valak, that haunted her in the first film when she was a nun. Once again, Sister Irene faces a chilling encounter with this malevolent force.
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Review:
I’m a big fan of horror movies, so I often find myself at the cinema checking out films that I think might not be great. Take “The Nun II,” for example. I wasn’t too keen on watching it because I didn’t remember much about the first one, except that I didn’t like it. Having creepy villains is cool, but it seems these movies don’t know how to use them well. In my opinion, “The Nun” character was at its best in “The Conjuring 2,” not in its solo film.
For a long time, the movie is as dull and generic as I expected. Director Michael Chaves takes things too seriously, with a slow pace, dark cinematography, and all the clichés of religious horror he can fit in.
What baffles me in these films is that minor characters in danger meet instant death, while major characters just get repeatedly scared by ‘The Nun.’ It doesn’t make sense and takes away all the tension from the movie.
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On the bright side, the character dynamics are actually interesting this time. The dialogue can be cheesy, but there’s a genuine quality to the humans in the story that makes the perilous moments gripping.
If you’re into jump-scares, you’re in luck. This movie is packed with them, some well-executed, others not so much. The issue with movies built entirely on jump-scares is that they’re forgettable. You might remember one good scare, but the whole film slips your mind.
I thought excessive jump scares were outdated, but they overused them in this movie, which spoiled the viewing experience. There were a few scenes I enjoyed, like the goat scene, even though it was a jump-scare.
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The biggest problem is that there’s nothing new or unique about this film. Maybe I need to change my perspective on what “The Nun” movies are meant to be. “The Conjuring” films are great with scares and solid writing. “Annabelle” is pretty creepy too. “The Nun” feels more like an Indiana Jones adventure or a Disneyworld ride — made for amusement park action, props, and themes.
Every time I expect to be terrified by “the greatest evil in the Conjuring Universe,” I end up feeling like I went through a haunted house. “The Nun II” wasn’t scary, barely interesting, and honestly, it got boring at times. Conjuring Universe, I love you, but let’s retire the Nun for good.
