the nun movie review essay

Review by Brian Eggert September 8, 2018

In The Nun , the scares take place in and around an eerie Romanian abbey. The year is 1955, and the bombings throughout Europe in the previous decade have left the abbey in shambles. It’s surrounded by crucifixes that seem to be keeping something inside, as opposed to declaring the holiness of this place. Graves with crooked crosses have bells attached to them, a method used in the centuries before to determine if someone had been buried alive. Just outside the entrance, fresh blood that never dries has splattered the steps. Inside, long decrepit hallways filled with an uncanny fog lead to forbidden doorways, behind which resides an unspeakable evil. It’s the perfect spookhouse setting, drawn from the tropes of Gothic tales that appeared in Hammer Film Production classics decades ago. Except, the filmmakers of The Nun resolve to turn these atmospheric details into a dull machine that produces a familiar set of jump-scares, pan reveals, and characters who do little more than investigate mysterious noises in the dark.

New Line Cinema and producer James Wan’s “ Conjuring Universe” continues to expand with this latest prequel, a spinoff meant to provide an origin story for the frightening, habit-wearing demon from The Conjuring 2 (2016). The movie maintains the franchise’s track record thus far, where titles with “ The Conjuring ” in them lead to better experiences than those without. The files of investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren have led to some real-life paranormal mysteries, and Wan cleverly exploited them for his 2013 hit The Conjuring and its sequel. But the spin-offs such as Annabelle (2014), and its slightly better prequel Annabelle: Creation (2017), do little more than remind audiences that they’re excited about the next Conjuring movie. Regardless, New Line Cinema commits to proving backstories to the specters and hellish spirits that have even a cursory presence in the main entries. Hence, the screenplay by Gary Dauberman, based on a story he conceived with Wan, fanes relevance by demystifying its eponymous spectre—an all-too-common trend in modern horror sequels and prequels.

After a prologue in which two nuns of the Romanian abbey succumb to a demonic presence in the castle’s depth, officials at the Vatican assign Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) to investigate. Father Burke travels the world, exploring strange spiritual phenomena, while the inexperienced Sister Irene, who has yet to take her vows, is assigned to the case for reasons that remain unexplained. They arrive in Romania, greeted by their French-Canadian guide, absurdly nicknamed Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet, from Elle ), and discover the dreaded abbey in disrepair. The locals spit on the ground at even the mention of it. Inside, the unwelcoming nuns, led by a shrouded Mother Superior with the voice of a possessed Linda Blair, pray endlessly to suppress the evil that lurks beneath the abbey. As it turns out, only a vial of Jesus Christ’s blood, the story’s MacGuffin, can stop the subsequent onslaught of demons and possessed nun, all led by an ancient baddie sent directly from Hell. This information is delivered in an unintentionally funny vomiting of exposition that becomes more laughable as it keeps going.

In terms of story, not much more occurs beyond this thin plot synopsis. Much of The Nun ‘s 96-minute runtime unfolds overnight, as Father Burke and Sister Irene (and don’t forget Frenchie!) feel compelled to leave their bedrooms and search in the dark, lantern in hand, for some unidentified noise (although one wonders why, in 1955, they weren’t using unreliable flashlights). Their nocturnal exploration of the haunted abbey gives the resident evil the perfect opportunity to terrorize our heroes. Hovering shadows creep in the background, out of focus, followed by something jumping out from the dark. It’s not just ghosts or demons either, but a series of nasty possessed nuns that bite like zombies. “I’m afraid there is something very wrong with this place,” says Father Burke, not long after he narrowly survives one of the demons burying him alive. All the while, Abel Korzeniowski’s score strikes jolting pangs at these moments, causing an involuntary reaction, but it’s hardly fear or terror felt by the viewer. The cinematography by Maxime Alexandre, who has a long history of shooting murky darkness in his string of horror movie credits, makes good use of the Romanian locations for a spookily effective visual aesthetic.

It’s worth noting that The Nun doesn’t provide a clear origin for its titular character, regardless of whether that title refers to the demon or Sister Irene. It’s also confusing that Taissa Farmiga, a talented performer to be sure, is the younger sister of Vera Farmiga, who plays Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring titles—an extratextual detail that leads one to ponder throughout whether Sister Irene is Lorraine Warren. Ultimately, The Nun is a brief ride of foreseen jump-scares and uninvolving narrative turns. It’s the sort of horror movie that expects its audience to ignore offensive clichés, such as when the characters split up to cover more ground in the dark. Despite its talented cast and the chilling location, neither director Corin Hardy nor the screenplay engages the viewer in any memorable or substantive way. At least science can provide some reassurance: Even though the universe is now expanding, someday, if gravitational laws prove true, it will contract and collapse on itself. Perhaps the same is true of movie universes.

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The Nun (2018) Review

GOD ENDS HERE

Back in 2013, during the same July weekend of when R.I.P.D. and Red 2 were released, director James Wan released the supernatural horror film titled The Conjuring . In a nutshell, the film, which starred Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, follows the Warrens (Ed and Lorraine), who are paranormal investigators that come to assist the Perron family and their farmhouse, which has been experiencing increasingly disturbing events in Rhode Island in 1971. The Conjuring , which was inspired by the real-life reports of the Amityville Horror story, received positive review from both fans and critics, grossing over $319 million at the box office against its low production budget of $20 million. Due to its success, a spin-off movie was greenlit and in 2014 the film Annabelle was released (roughly a year after The Conjuring came out. Set within the same cinematic universe as the first film, Annabelle focused on the Forms (Mia and John) on how they come across the “possessed” doll named Annabelle (the same doll that was briefly mentioned in the first film). Unlike The Conjuring , Annabelle was faced with mixed reviews, but did, however, rake in roughly $257 million at the box office against its $6.5 million production budget. Given the success of both films, two sequels were granted, with The Conjuring 2 being released in 2016 and Annabelle: Creation being released in 2017; each one taking their respective narratives into a different direction (i.e. one continuing the story forward, while the other explaining more of the origin). Because of this, The Conjuring has built a shared cinematic universe, weaving in different stories and characters that are connected together (something that hasn’t really been tackled in the horror genre). Now, Warner Bros. Pictures (New Line Cinema) and director Corin Hardy present the fifth installment in the The Conjuring franchise with the movie The Nun ; a prequel spin-off to the 2016 Conjuring 2 feature. Is the origin tale of “the nun” the “darkest chapter” in this cinematic saga or is just an inconsistent and even entry in The Conjuring franchise?

In 1952, a nun commits suicide at a remote Abbey in the heart of Romania and the Vatican wants to know the reasons and machinations on why such a person of the faith would follow through with a vile sin. The Church then dispatches Father Burke (Demián Bichir), a priest who specializes in the supernatural (called a “miracle hunter”), pairing him with Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a young novitiate who’s just about to take her vows (preparing for a life of service to God and the Catholic faith). Together, the two travel to Romania, being greeted by Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet), a local who acts their guide and the one who discovered the of the body of the dead nun, as they make their way to St. Cârța Abbey, an ancient monastery who the local townspeople believe to cursed. Working their way around the ominous abbey, Father Burke and Sister Irene begin their investigation, questioning some of the reclusive nuns that dwell there, witness the growing madness and fear of a primordial entity; a demonic being named Valak (Bonnie Aarons), who lurks in the shadows, murdering those who dare to confront the abbey’s terrible secrets.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

I’ve stated multiple times on my blog review posts that I’m not the hugest fan of horror flicks. I would never discredit anyone (be it cinephile / movie buff or causal moviegoer) who finds a special interest with the genre, but it really isn’t my “cup of tea” sort of speak. However, I have recently seeing some horror flicks or those that of which have been “labeled” as horrors of some variations with that element genre, including Crimson Peak (a gothic horror), It Comes at Night (a suspenseful drama / horror), and 2017’s IT (drama horror), which is probably my favorite horror flick so far. So…who knows…. maybe I should start watching a few more horror films out there. Since the horror genre isn’t part of my regular “favorite” movie genres, I really haven’t seeing any of The Conjuring movies out there. I’ve heard plenty about them, seeing the trailers for all the films, and heard how scary the films were, but I just never checked them out (prior to seeing The Nun ). As a side-note, I do find it interesting that there making up a sort of cinematic universe with The Conjuring films and how it all sort of “interconnected” (yes, I’ve read a brief summary online of The Conjuring movies). So, yes…I know a little about The Warrens, April’s music box, and Anabelle doll.

This, of course, brings me to talking about The Nun , the latest horror flick within The Conjuring universe. It goes without saying that I’ve seeing many of the advisements for The Conjuring movies throughout the years, especially their movie trailers (in theaters) or TV spots. So, I know it’s a proven horror franchise for many of the current moviegoers, which is why they (the studio hivemind) are trying to create an established movie universe with The Conjuring features. Since I don’t follow the movies, I really particular look for much info and “pre-release” buzz about the movie via the internet. However, I do remember seeing the film’s trailer several times when I go to the movies (for my weekly theater outing). While it looks scary and promising a lot of terror-filled moments, I was kind of interested to see it, especially how the character of “the Nun” looks like and how the film promises to show her “origin tale” and how it will (presumably) connect to The Conjuring movies. So…. trying to expand my “movie critic horizons” I decided to purchase a ticket to see The Nun (plus a few of my co-workers were going to see, so went with them). However, while I mentioned above that I haven’t seeing any of the movies in this horror cinematic universe, I actually did watch The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 after watching The Nun , which is why I delayed my review (to see those two films before writing this review). So, I do have a little bit more “insight” into The Conjuring Universe now (still haven’t seeing the two Annabelle movies, so I’ll have to check them out as well sometime soon). Anyways, back to The Nun. What did I think of it? Well, to be honest, I kind of liked it. While it’s not exactly perfect and struggles within its some thinly-sketched narrative pieces, The Nun is good addition to the ever-growing Conjuring cinematic universe.

The Nun is directed by Corin Hardy, whose previous directional projects include the short film In the Back and the feature movie The Hallow . While director James Wan helmed the two Conjuring movies, Hardy makes for the third outside director for this feature (i.e. the first being John R. Leonetti for Annabelle and the second being David F. Sandberg for Annabelle: Creation ) and effectively does fairly good job in making his own personal “mark” on this horror cinematic universe. Of all the creatures in The Conjuring Universe (i.e. Bathsheba, Annabelle, The Crooked Man, and Valak), Valak (to me) seems like the “creepiest” one, especially given the fact this demonic entity is personified (physically) as a nun (someone who is suppose to be holy / pure of the Catholic faith). Something about that gives me chills and I suspect that most will agree with me on that. To his credit, Hardy does make The Nun (from onset to conclusion) feels like something different from the other four films in the franchise. Perhaps the reason for this is the actually setting and location of the film’s time place and time period. While the other films have a familiar setting of a house or an apartment (with some modern amenities and nuances here and there), The Nun , which takes place 1952, is set in a very remote location in the heart of Romania and in a medieval castle / monastery. Thus, the whole film has that “medieval / gothic” feel throughout, which is a nice change of pace for the franchise. Hardy utilizes that notion and does come up with some very creative and cinematic scenes throughout the movie, drumming up plenty of “atmospheric” and “creepy”, be it just scenery locations or some horror filled moments. Even better is the fact that Hardy makes The Nun feel like its own thing (i.e. a standalone feature). Yes, it is part of the Conjuring Universe and does have the little “Easter Egg” bits that help connect it to its larger cinematic world, but it is also a straightforward narrative piece that’s accessible for any moviegoer (be it longtime fan of the franchise or newbie…like I was). In a nutshell, Hardy’s direction is (for the most part) pretty good, effectively making The Nun a fun / entertaining horror feature (at least I thought so).

On its technical merits, The Nun truly does shine, elevating some of the movies negative points (more on the below) to bring to life such an atmospheric horror endeavor that works and works fantastic. It must be mentioned that majority (if not all) of the movie was actually filmed in Romania (in the surrounding areas of Bucharest and Transylvania) and definitely looks authentic throughout the movie. I was definitely loving the whole medieval / gothic backdrop in The Nun and it certainly has an extra layer of quality to the movie in giving the whole St. Cârța Monastery castle and sense of eerie foreboding (as if you don’t know what mysterious beings / entity is lurking in its ancient halls and corridors. It’s also like the movie’s setting is its own character, which is actually a really good thing for a movie to pull off. Thus, the efforts made by Jennifer Spence (production design), Gina Calin (set decorations), and Adrian Curela and Vraciu Eduard Daniel (art direction) should be mentioned in bringing such a great set piece setting to life in The Nun . Another person that should be mentioned is Maxime Alexandre, who provides some excellent cinematography work on the project with heavy usage of fog and camera lighting and movement to create some bone-chilling yet creatively sequences scattered throughout. Again, The Nun is very much a gothic horror / atmospheric horror feature. There’s also the entire make-up department, who should be applauded for their efforts in the movie, especially when it concerns in applying the make-up for The Nun (definitely some great make-up work on her throughout the entire film. Even the film’s musical score, which was composed by Abel Korzeniowski, is pretty great, layering some horror / intense-filled moments with his music as well as some very ominous “mood” melodies here and there, especially whenever “The Nun” is on-screen. All of these contributing cinematic nuances and technical presentation make The Nun feel like a true gothic horror feature, which is good thing.

Unfortunately, The Nun does have obstacles in its way that either Hardy nor the film itself can’t overcome; resulting in the feature being a mediocre endeavor in the whole “grand scheme” of this cinematic universe. While I mentioned that I’ve seeing the two Conjuring movies, I haven’t seeing both Annabelle or Annabelle: Creation . Thus, I really can’t compare this one to those two movies. That being said, in comparison to the two Conjuring features, The Nun doesn’t quite reach that special “it” factor that those movies were able to achieve. Why? Let me explain. Perhaps the most notable thing is that the story. Yes, while mentioned that the story of “the Nun” (or Valak) is the primarily telling, with the demonic being haunted and terrorizing the people inside St. Cârța Monastery, the problem is that it needs more substance surrounding a lot of the events that transpire within those ancient hallowed halls. The film’s script, which was penned by Gary Dauberman (who by the way wrote the screenplay for the two Annabelle movies) and with a story written by Dauberman and The Conjuring director James Wan, is probably where the movie is the weakest. Again, the story is there and it is pretty solid for a horror movie (especially one with this shared movie universe), but Dauberman’s script is handled rather clunky, with less interest in its characters builds and narrative substance and more interested in scary “horror” thrills. An example of this is the film is in the movie’s idealistic / thematic material of faith and battling against the darkness. Given the feature’s setting, the time period, and a demon nun, something of a person’s faith and the perpetual balance of light and dark (i.e. good and evil) should’ve been a more paramount figure in The Nun and could’ve help strengthen the narrative being told. Sadly, Hardy nor Dauberman’s script seems to venture outside a standard parameter.

The same with the actually story of Father Bichir and Sister Irene coming to the cursed Romanian covenant for their investigation. It’s pretty simply setup and doesn’t really go beyond the surface level, which could’ve easily benefited. Even the origins of Valak, while interesting, are handled in a clunky manner and aren’t given enough time to develop into anything substantial insight, which I would’ve liked to see. Perhaps all of these reasons derive from the fact that The Nun is actually the shortest of the five Conjuring Universe films (a runtime of being 96 minutes long). Yes, it makes for a breeze horror flick, but lacks the substance and allotted time to develop many of the narrative themes and story / character developments required for a well-rounded tale. Also, the horror moments of the movie, while naturally good and definitely have the “creepiness” that I was expecting (especially when Valak is on-screen), I was much more scared and overall “creeped out” when I saw The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 . As to be expected (especially with most modern horror flicks out there), The Nun also relies a bit too much on the whole “jump scares” tactic and not enough on something truly menacing and / or horrifying. Again, I was still scared, but not as nearly as not enough as I did during The Conjuring 2 .

Additionally, another problem with the movie is that it is setup (for tense and purposes) as a prequel installment, with the intention of interconnecting the events of the two Conjuring movies. Like most prequel endeavors, the story being told is a bit predictable as (for most part) as some of the film’s events (characters, narrative, macguffins, etc.) are usually carried over and you (the viewer) know of what will become of them. I think of it like this…. take the Star Wars prequel trilogy (Episode I, II, and III) …you know that Anakin Skywalker is not gonna die in those movies as he appears in the original trilogy as Darth Vader. See what I mean, it renders the whole “surprise” because the future story is already set, with prequel mostly showing the origins (or the story taking place before). Because of this notion, you (the viewer) for most part known that the overall defeat of “the Nun / Valak” in this movie is gonna be only temporary as the demonic creature returns to terrorize the Warrens (Ed and Lorraine) as well as the Hodgson family in The Conjuring 2 . Thus, its bit rendered a bit redundant, but that’s mostly the “nature of the game” when it comes to prequel installments. Also, as a side-note, while it’s pretty cool how Father Bichir and Sister Irene fight against Valak in the film’s final confrontation (in the third act), but it’s a bit odd that they don’t defeat the demonic creature from how it is in The Conjuring 2 (if you seen that movie you’ll know what I mean). I’m not asking much, but maybe a bit of continuity would be appreciated. The result of all of this makes The Nun an enjoyable, yet imperfect horror feature film. There’s fun and entertainment to it all, but the movie could’ve been so much more if the script and some of the film’s direction were both better executed and more refined.

The cast in The Nun is relatively unknown (with a few recognizable faces here and there), but where the movie fails is in the characterization of these respective characters throughout the film. The many acting talents in the film are okay (i.e. not really good, but not really bad), but are hampered by the lacking in-depth insight into their personas and character development (as mentioned above). Perhaps who gets the most screen-time and is probably the most development character in the movie is actress Taissa Farmiga, who plays the character Sister Irene, a young novitiate of the Catholic faith. Known for her roles in 6 Years , Anna , and The Final Girls , Farmiga does a fairly good job in the roles, being the so-called “wide-eyed youth” that experiences such a dark and horrific event throughout. Her acting is fine (in the role), but her character isn’t as well-rounded as she should be. She has an interesting setup when she’s first introduced (i.e. a strong-willed / independent minded character), her character, more or less, devolves into the classic “girl in a horror” movie. That’s not to say Farmiga deliver a good job in the role, but much of her character (and her backstory) is quickly pushed to side in favor of narrative events. As a side note, Taissa Farmiga is the younger sister of Vera Farmiga, who plays the character Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 . So, it’s kind of fun that Vera’s little sister is part of this largely connected horror movie universe.

Behind Farmiga’s Sister Irene is the character of Father Burke, the seasoned / weary “miracle hunter” of the Catholic Church, who is played by actor Demián Bichir. Known for his roles in The Hateful Eight , A Better Life , and The Heat , Bichir does a certain charm about him in making Father Burke a likeable throughout the movie. However, his character development is pretty “blah”. He’s given a slightly tormented backstory arc that the movie shows, but never fully goes deep enough for us (the viewers) to wholeheartedly care about. Thus, despite Bichir’s acting talents, his character of Father Burke just simply comes to be a one-note character, which isn’t that quite great when he’s one of the main characters. Additionally, the platonic on-screen relationship between Bichir’s Burke and Farmiga’s Irene is okay and isn’t quite as dynamic as something like Wilson’s Ed and Farmiga’s (Vera) Lorraine’s screen presence in The Conjuring films. Last of the trio is the character of “Frenchie, a local in the nearby villages who lends a hand to Father Burke and Sister Irene investigation, who is played by actor Jonas Bloquet. Known for his roles in The Family , Elle , and 3 Days to Kill , Bloquet acts more of the “comedic relief” of the movie, having several hammy dialogue lines as the somewhat cocky yet good-natured Frenchie. Bloquet acting talents are okay, but his character is the least irrelevant of the main character and (to be honest) feels a bit “out of place” in various parts (i.e. being the comedic character of the group in a rather serious horror flick).

The film’s namesake character of The Nun / Valak (or rather “Valak the Defiler, the Profane, the Marquis of Snake”) follows behind them and who is played by actress Bonnie Aarons. Known for her roles in And You Know Who You Are , The Fighter , and The Prince Diaries , Aarons continues to deliver a “bone-chilling” on-screen premise as the demonic Nun character. Like I mentioned above, while the make-up and costume efforts in bringing this character to life are highly commendable, Aaron’s performance (while not super dynamic) still provides enough “uneasiness” whenever her character is on-screen, which does add to the horror flavor throughout this cinematic universe.

The rest of the cast is in more small supporting roles, filling in small pieces here and there or just simply in the background in various scenes. This includes several members of the covenant sister at St. Cârța Monastery like actress Ingrid Bisu ( Outbound and Toni Edrmann ) as Sister Oana, actress Charlotte Hope ( Game of Thrones and The Theory of Everything ) as Sister Victoria, actress Sandra Teles ( Postman Pat and Deep State ) as Sister Ruth, actress Ani Sava ( Hot in Cleveland and To the Bone ) as Sister Jessica, actress Gabrielle Downey ( Burke and Hare and Me Before You ) as The Abbess, and actress Lynnette Gaza ( My Dark Days and The Taking ) as Mother Superior as well as actor David Horovitch ( The Young Victoria and The Infiltrator ) as Cardinal Conroy, and actor Michael Smiley ( Free Fire and The Lobster ) as Bishop Pasquale. Again, while their acting talents are mostly good (no one really overacts or gives a bad performance), most of these characters are merely background / stock-like characters as the movie manly focuses on the characters of Father Burke, Sister Irene, Frenchie, and (by proximity) The Nun / Valak.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Father Burke and Sister Irene’s investigation into an unexpected murder at St. Cârța Monastery in Romania becomes a battle with the demonic presence of the spiritual entity known as Valak in the movie The Nun . Director Corin Hardy latest film sees the fifth installment of The Conjuring Universe return to the character of “The Nun”, revealing a bit more of her backstory in this prequel spin-off tale. While the movie does struggle with its thinly-sketched narrative and characters (as well as pacing structure), the film does standout with its atmospheric nuances (background and setting), it’s fun supernatural premise, semi-horrified moments, and giving one of the more truly scary character in The Conjuring films her own movie (i.e. The Nun / Valak). Personally, I kind of liked it (more than I was expecting to) and probably more than what many will think of it. Yes, while I agree it wasn’t as good as the two Conjuring movies (not really the “darkest chapter” as the trailer promised), the movie still succeeds in being a nice (and mostly satisfying) niche within this shared universe. Again, it’s not the greatest horror feature out there, but it’s actually a lot better than what I’ve seen (and heard) of recent movies of late. Thus, I would say that I would “recommend” this movie, to both causal moviegoers (the film can stand out its own as well as those who like The Conjuring / Annabelle features as well). In the end, it seems like The Conjuring Universe continues to grow and expand (a third entry in The Conjuring and Annabelle movies are in the works as well as a rumored “The Crooked Man” film as well), The Nun ultimately provides enough creepy / atmospheric horror elements to be a perfectly serviceable (yet imperfect) horror flick and nice addition to this already establish cinematic world of paranormal / demonic spirits and supernatural entities.

3.7 Out of 5 (Recommended)

Released on: september 7th, 2018, reviewed on: september 10th, 2018.

The Nun is 96 minutes long and is rated R for terror, violence, and disturbing / bloody images

Review: ‘The Nun’ highlights the fear of losing one’s faith and identity

“The Nun,” the new demonic-possession film from director Colin Hardy and the fifth installment in “The Conjuring” universe, is not a good movie. It is thoroughly mediocre. The script is forgettable except when it is clumsy (“I’m still just a novitiate” instead of the much more common “a novice”; the nuns “take our vespers” instead of “pray vespers”). The film is depressive without attaining poignancy, and self-serious where it could be shameless. The most interesting thing about “The Nun” is the way Catholics on Twitter used its social media promo hashtag, #TheNun (accompanied by an emoji of a menacing, eyeless nun) to tag stories of actual women religious.

And yet…. Inside this desultory, semi-spooky film, there are lingering images and ideas that hint at the better film that could have been.

This is the movie’s true monster—the possibility that self-surrender in the monastery and possession by a demon are basically the same thing.

“The Nun” is set in 1952 and concerns the Vatican’s investigation of ominous reports about a women’s monastery in Romania. Our investigators are Father Burke (Demián Bichir), an exorcist with the usual Hollywood backstory of a failure he fears he will never be able to redeem, and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a dewy novice. We know she will be the heroic voice of wisdom because we first see her teaching English schoolchildren that Mother Superior is wrong and dinosaurs did so walk the earth. (This importing of American Protestant controversies is, like the total absence of Orthodoxy from the film’s Romania, an example of the film’s flattening of all Christianities into one semi-Catholic lump.) They arrive in Romania and acquire a local guide nicknamed Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet). He tries to spark Sister Irene’s romantic longings, but their tepid flirtation never rises beyond the perfunctory.

The nun, priest and civilian make their way to the isolated monastery. They pass through a spooky graveyard, where Latin-style crosses jut at artistic angles. (Lots of weirdly positioned Latin crosses and an overactive fog machine are this movie’s aesthetic, which is not a criticism—I love a carnival “dark ride” as much as the next person.) They enter the monastery, ruled by a nun who wears a black cloak that shields her face and sits on a creepy throne decorated with an ouroboros. And they begin to learn the monastery’s secret: The perpetual prayers of its nuns have held back a terrible old evil, locked behind a door with a Latin inscription meaning God Ends Here . But the evil has broken free….

There are two thematic elements that stand out in “The Nun.” The first is the repeated imagery of suicide. At first I thought this was a misplaced tribute to the ending of “The Exorcist,” as if the climactic action of that film represented a heroic defeat of the Devil rather than a capitulation to him and a failure to trust in God. “The Nun” is not aiming for the spiritual or emotional honesty of “The Exorcist,” and so it cannot portray (or silhouette, by showing where it is not) trust in God. Toward the end, “The Nun” talks a lot about the power of prayer, and even “the sacrifice of the Eucharist,” but the film’s climax focuses on gathering what are basically magical objects and throwing them at a demon. Still, if I understood the tangled plot correctly, it does ultimately depict “heroic suicide” as a demonic lie. This is a heavy film, freighted with the horror of the real-life rise in suicides, and to the extent that “The Nun” speaks to our real lives, it depicts suicide as the conquest of faithful and decent people by an external enemy.

“The Nun” is about fear of submission; fear of betrayal, of being abandoned and destroyed by God and the church who promised to save you.

“The Nun” comes closest to a complex depiction of the fears and hopes inherent to faith in its subtle (though I don’t think accidental) comparison between two forms of loss of identity: religious vows and possession. This pairing even infiltrates the movie’s marketing: The theater where I saw it had a cardboard display where you could take a selfie with your own face fitted into a hole in a lineup of scary faceless nuns.

The movie’s one real shiver—the moment when we touch something uncanny, unexpected and uncontrolled—comes when an old-fashioned radio begins playing a pop song in the middle of the night. This is a standard horror trope, but “The Nun” deploys it with unusual elegance. The radio looks eerily like a wimpled nun, and the song it plays is the 1950s romantic classic “You Belong to Me,” which in this film becomes a stalker’s anthem to rival “Every Breath You Take.”

This is the movie’s true monster—the possibility that self-surrender in the monastery and possession by a demon are basically the same thing. “The Nun” is about fear of submission; fear of betrayal, of being abandoned and destroyed by God and the church who promised to save you; fear of giving yourself, body and soul, in the hope that this plunge into God will strengthen you instead of destroying you.

And so the final question is not whether our heroes will find the holy tchotchkes in time. It is whether Sister Irene will make her final vows—and whether these vows will be her triumph or her swoon into the jaws of the monster. Toward the beginning of the film, she and the priest rarely wear their religious “uniforms.” But for the final confrontation she dons her beautiful white habit. She decides to face the demon armored only in the sign of her surrender.

Eve Tushnet is the author of Gay and Catholic: Accepting My Sexuality, Finding Community, Living My Faith and Amends: A Novel .

it was an excellent movie but there were lack of some sudden scary scenes. I mean it can be more but it was not. I got the tickets to the movie from Stubhub coupons codes that gave me big discounts.

I don't get "At first I thought this was a misplaced tribute to the ending of 'The Exorcist,' as if the climactic action of that film represented a heroic defeat of the Devil rather than a capitulation to him and a failure to trust in God. " Wasn't the priest's suicide at the end of The Exorcist a Christ-like sacrifice of his life for another, and therefore a triumph?

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‘The Nun’ | Film Review

The backstory to the creepy demon who bothered Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring 2, etc: in 1952, a priest and a novice nun are sent to Romania to investigate the apparent suicide of a young nun and the abbey in general.

If like me you’ve been looking forward to The Nun , I’m sorry to say you will probably be at least a bit disappointed. I left the cinema feeling quite deflated by it (indeed, if I’d gone on my own, I would probably have been bored by it). Now let me see if I can explain why without spoiling it for you; because I know, if you’re a Conjuring or James Wan fan, you’ll go anyway.

It definitely does have some plus points mind you: The Nun looks great. There is a fabulous spooky castle-cum-abbey, with well thought through sets in every room, a menacing pair of gates out front, and a cemetery round the back. The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 ( the Annabelle spin-offs too, to a degree) were elegant – almost literary – in their period atmosphere; however The Nun was a little too exaggerated, making it more like an early Hammer film at times, rather than a serious modern horror drama (which I consider the first film to be). The set is quite fabulous, with or without the supernatural goings on; but once ghosts, shadows, flickering candles and dusk are added, the scene is set for a good old horror.

On top of that setting, the production and the score make everything in The Nun pretty creepy. Sometimes it’s overdone, though: there are times when the nasty nun figure Valak seems to appear everywhere, even if it’s just habit-like shapes as a recurring visual theme. Consequently, I got so used to seeing her that the intended jumps didn’t catch me. The music, too, tries too hard: melodramatic choral music here and there, and suddenly quiet spells, as if telling you exactly when to feel tense (that didn’t work).

Here’s another plus for you: the cast. Taissa Farmiga and Demián Bichir were excellent as the priest and novitiate sent to look into the unfortunate death. But, but, but… If the film is set in the Vatican and Romania (where it was filmed), why are there more Irish actors with speaking parts than Romanian or Italian; and I don’t believe we heard the Romanian or Italian languages spoken at all (and no, Latin doesn’t count). And why use two actors who are related (Taissa and her sister Vera Farmiga, who appeared in two short linking scenes), if their characters aren’t related in the story? This made some viewers a little confused, I’m sure. And why was Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga’s character) assigned? Because she used to see visions? That didn’t exactly seem to help her.

Add in the local-but-not-local good looking muscle (Jonas Bloquet) as visual and light relief, and we have a team that harks back more to Buffy the Vampire Slayer than The Name of the Rose , which apparently inspired The Nun ‘s set-up for writer James Wan.

Yes, Wan wrote The Nun , but he didn’t direct it, as he did the first two films (actually, he had even less to do with Annabelle ). I have no doubt at all that it would have turned out better if Wan had more control. The director was Corin Hardy, who has only led one feature film before: the supernatural horror (like countless others, set in a forest), The Hallow . He’s made short films and other videos, mind you, and it is evident from those and The Hallow that his strength is in visually atmospheric work, but still. Any number of other directors could have directed The Nun to the same standard as I watched last night. If James Wan wanted The Nun to be “the darkest chapter in The Conjuring universe”, he should have directed it himself.

As it is (and here comes the main problem with the film), Wan did not give us a great piece of writing, either. The plot turns out to be not the main backstory of Valak (who’s not a nun, but a demon who takes the form of a nun), but rather one chosen because it has a loose link to the Warrens (the couple who form the focus of The Conjuring films). The main backstory (about – spoiler alert – a duke who was into Satanism and opened a portal into Hell, of all things ) is merely retold by one of the nuns resident in the abbey; despite how far-fetched it sounds, I think that would have made a better film. There are neat coincidences and random unexplained spooky happenings galore, few of which fitted together into a much of a plot. The plot had too many holes and was written too sloppily: I expect so much more from one of the minds behind Saw , Insidious and, of course, The Conjuring .

Sorry: I’m complaining. Yes, I’m going to complain! This is a film I’ve been looking forward to, and I feel let down. I don’t know if you read the #100DaysOfHorror piece I wrote last week, but in the introduction, I outlined what I look for and enjoy in horror films. Sure, it gave me situations and people I’m unlikely to encounter; but some of them were a little too ridiculous to draw me right into the film (which is what is needed for escapism, at least for me). It certainly didn’t give me a great plot, intelligence, wit, or much excitement.

Overall, The Nun was well made and acted, but lacked so much of what I’ve come to expect from this series, this writer, and decent horror films in general. Balls.

Article by Alix Turner

Alix joined Ready Steady Cut back in 2017, bringing their love for horror movies and nasty gory films. Unsurprisingly, they are Rotten Tomatoes Approved, bringing vast experience in film critiquing. You will likely see Alix enjoying a bloody horror movie or attending a genre festival.

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‘the nun’: film review.

The haunted house mechanics of the 'Conjuring’ movies get another workout in ‘The Nun,’ in which a demonic spirit stalks the cloisters of a secluded abbey.

By Harry Windsor

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The Conjuring films and their spinoffs are about the closest thing we have to a Hammerverse, so it’s fitting that the latest installment of Warner Bros.’ lucrative horror franchise skitters across to Transylvania for a Dracula retelling in all but name.

Directed by Corin Hardy, off the back of his stylish Irish debut The Hallow a few years ago, The Nun is set largely in a Romanian castle that’s avoided by the local villagers like the plague. It’s best reached by horse-drawn buggy, even though the film takes place in 1952. The pic’s rural setting allows it to play like a 19th century Gothic while also alluding to events in James Wan’s 2013 original, set a couple of decades after this one. That connective tissue is most obvious in the presence of the title character, last seen terrorizing Enfield in 2016’s The Conjuring 2 , who gets an origin story here in a fright-night special that could well ride the credentials-bolstering banning of its trailer to heavenly business when it opens Thursday.

Release date: Sep 06, 2018

Written by Gary Dauberman ( It , the Annabelle films) from a story he cooked up with producer Wan, The Nun isn’t quite as frightening as that publicity triumph would suggest. And in jettisoning the focus on family of the previous films, it gives us characters whose interactions with each other feel less than detailed, and who are more archetypal than real. But it’s good clean fun nevertheless, and the set pieces expertly supply the tension-and-release satisfactions of the genre, starting with a particularly horrific prologue that ends with a young nun (Charlotte Hope) throwing herself from a window.

The Vatican sends a team to investigate the apparent suicide, led by Father Burke (Demian Bichir), a demon hunter haunted by an earlier, unsuccessful exorcism. Joining him is Sister Irene, a young novitiate played by Taissa Farmiga, the younger sister and spitting image of Vera, in a piece of metafictional casting that seems to hint at a connection between her character and the elder Farmiga’s Lorraine Warren (glimpsed here in an unnecessary flashback to the Conjuring sequel) that somehow never materializes. Nominally, the mission’s aim is to determine if the ground remains consecrated, but the bishops in Rome (including an amusingly cast Michael Smiley, a holdover from the director’s first film) know more than they’re letting on.

Introduced riffing on the Bible’s omissions in front of a classroom of schoolgirls, Farmiga makes for an appealing, hiply modern heroine, while the disconnect between Father Burke’s accent and his surname fails to prevent Bichir from committing gamely to a type we’ve seen before, even though the character turns out to be so ineffective as to be almost superfluous. They’re joined by Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet), a French-Canadian farmer on vacation in the Romanian highlands (for reasons only explained at the end, in a nod to the shared universe that feels thoroughly tacked on). Frenchie discovered the dead nun while delivering food to the abbey — computer-generated for the wides and otherwise shot discreetly — but that hasn’t dampened his aggressive flirtatiousness, and it’s only stoked when he learns that Irene hasn’t yet undertaken her vows.

Once the three cross the castle’s threshold, cinematographer Maxime Alexandre earns his keep with one jump-inducing whip pan after another, underlined by the cavernous, vocals-heavy score from Abel Korzeniowski — an old hand at this sort of thing after three seasons of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful . The tenebrous visuals are also aided by Jennifer Spence’s interiors, which consist of evocative variations on a dank, dark, cobwebbed theme.

The film’s cat-and-mouse second half contrives to split the characters up, with Frenchie back at the pub getting an earful from the superstitious townsfolk and Father Burke stuck in an antechamber, taunted by a forbidding abbess who transforms into the ghost of the boy he couldn’t save. Sister Irene, for her part, gets a history lesson from the sisters whose prayers are the only thing keeping evil inside the four walls the Church has safeguarded for centuries — but whose prayers may not have been enough. Editors Michel Aller and Ken Blackwell do their best cutting between the three leads, though the pacing feels particularly sluggish during the sections with Burke, who kills time in the same location, poring over manuscripts that eventually shed some light on the demon nun Valak.

Valak (a returning Bonnie Aarons) is the new pic’s ace. There’s something deliciously creepy about an icon of service made sinister; about seeing the cowl curdled. Which makes it ironic that, like its predecessors, this is the rare Hollywood blockbuster in which members of the clergy are presented unambiguously as heroes. Sister Irene, Father Burke and Frenchie eventually reunite for an underground confrontation that plays out like a sequence from a Mummy movie, complete with flaming torches and even the odd quip, courtesy of the roguish Bloquet. But it’s Farmiga who emerges as the film’s plucky beating heart, in a breakout performance good enough to make you forget her uncanny likeness to big sis.

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The Nun Review

01 Nov 2013

112 minutes

Based on a controversial 18th-century novel by Denis Diderot (formerly filmed by Jacques Rivette), this follows the agonies of a teen girl pushed towards convent life by her aristo family. She scandalously refuses her calling, then learns she’s illegitimate and gets forced into convents ruled by sadists and seducers. Like the recent The Monk, from another lurid novel, the film chooses solemnity, but with even less satisfying results. It’s initially interesting, but wanes with the second round of tortures; it finally resembles a caricatured misery memoir, and even a turn from Isabelle Huppert feels tacky.

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REVIEW: The Nun (2018)

While every studio in Hollywood fights to establish their own shared universe of populist blockbusters – Disney has the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars , Universal tried with Dark Universe, and Warner Bros stumbles along with their DC Extended Universe – Warner Bros subsidiary New Line Pictures has quietly established its own hugely successful interconnected franchise of horror movies. It began with The Conjuring (2013) and expanded to include a sequel and two spin-offs focused on the doll Annabelle, which has been possessed by a demon. Now the franchise expands to a fifth installment: The Nun , based around the demon Valak who was introduced in 2016’s The Conjuring 2.

Valak, who takes on the appearance of a gaunt, near-skeletal nun, made a tremendous visual impact in her first appearance. The use of shadow and manipulation of depth of field developed her into the franchise’s creepiest villain so far. Script-wise there wasn’t much depth, but the visceral impact of her on-screen made for a tremendously horror icon. It is that disturbing aesthetic and nightmarish imagery that has made her such a ripe character to bring back and expand. I’m straining to recall, and am happy to be corrected, but I think The Nun may be the first-ever sequel based in essence on a visual effect.

Mind you, that allows this new film to chart its own course. Aside from a brief prologue and epilogue, there is not that strong a connection to The Conjuring films. It is a great balance: independent enough to be an entertaining horror flick on its own merits, but packed with enough references to give it an extra layer of fun for viewers of the previous movies. It takes a different direction to its predecessors: chronologically it is the earliest story, set as it is in the early 1950s. It also has a wonderfully old-fashioned Eastern European setting and an appropriately gloomy, gothic tone. It may be mostly pastiche, but it is effective pastiche.

It is a solid horror film. There are plenty of jumps and scares, and creepy sequences in dimly-lit corridors, crypts, and graveyards. It also tosses in just enough original moments to have a vital spark; this isn’t by any stretch the best horror film of the year, but it knows what it’s doing and it does it very well. The surprises, when they come, are well-earned. Director Corin Hardy could have easily embraced the grand, gothic style that the story and setting suggest; instead he mixes the direction up with a combination of traditional and more up-close, hand-held photography. (This solid cinematography comes from Maxime Alexandre ( The End, Annabelle: Creation ).) Valak continues to look great, of course, and re-uses a lot of the techniques – both overt and subtle – that worked so well in her first appearance.

The characters work well. Taissa Farmiga brings a nice balance of naive optimism and dogged determination as Sister Irene, although it is odd that Farmiga was cast given that her older sister Vera is the lead actor in The Conjuring and its sequel. One spends the film waiting for a familial relationship to be revealed between Irene and The Conjuring ‘s Elizabeth Warren; it never is. As Father Burke, Demian Bechir presents a lot of gravitas and authority. It is a thinly drawn role, but Bechir makes it work. Importantly, both actors buy into the style of film and perform their roles accordingly.

With a steady eye on further franchise potential, the film certainly keeps its options open for a follow-up or two in future years. I would be quite happy to see them. The Conjuring films (potentially the first Annabelle aside) are slickly developed pulp entertainment, constructed by filmmakers that know their audience and subject matter, and whose top priority is simply to entertain. The Nun is exactly that: a scary, thrilling entertainment that doesn’t disappoint.

MASTERPIECE: Gallipoli (1981)

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Movie Review: The Nun (2018)

Dan Gunderman
Movie Reviews
--> September 8, 2018

The Nun , the fifth film in “The Conjuring” Universe, is a hugely flawed and underwhelming horror film that’s both plodding and formulaic. While the film, Corin Hardy’s sophomore directorial effort following 2015’s “ The Hallow ,” boasts convincing performances from scream queen Taissa Farmiga (“ The Final Girls ”) and Demián Bichir (“ Alien: Covenant ”), it fails to leverage its Gothic setting and its prize possession: The sufficiently spooky Bonnie Aarons (“ The Fighter ”) as Valak/The Nun.

Valak first appeared as a demonic presence in James Wan’s “ The Conjuring 2 ,” a horror film met with critical praise and box office success. Valak’s role in that sequel, in an urban English setting, fits neatly into the episodic villainy of “The Conjuring” world. In fact, Wan is dealt an embarrassment of riches in the parent films, so much so that hair-raisers such as Annabelle and other relics are confined to the back room at the home of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, respectively). Valak’s hissing antics in The Nun , however, actually somewhat devalue its presence in “ The Conjuring .”

What the two original films excel at are characterization and narrative, as Wan painstakingly takes viewers into Lorraine’s dangerous subconscious, which is brimming with conflict (and through her uniquely stable marriage with Ed as they split time between housework and the paranormal). They also must exorcise complex characters — family members and innocent children alike. Conversely, The Nun is a slow-moving, 96-minute film that drags out laborious scenes, fails to capture the audience and injects jump-scares where the plot often lacks.

Set in 1952, the film begins with the mysterious suicide of a resident of the dreary Romanian convent, Cârta Monastery. An evil presence lurks there, and the Vatican wants to know what it is. They send investigator, “miracle hunter” and former World War II chaplain, Father Burke (Bichir), to the unkempt grounds of the former castle. He’s to be joined by a novitiate (a nun who hasn’t taken her vows), Sister Irene (Farmiga). They’re joined by the farmer who discovered the deceased nun, Maurice “Frenchie” Theriault (Jonas Bloquet, “ Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets ”), who brings some levity to the hellish story. What they find inside the walls of the convent is a forsaken holy ground that’s become the playground of distrustful nuns and the shapeshifting apparition in the dungeon, which needs a human vessel to be free of its brick and mortar shackles.

Will Father Burke and Sister Irene be able to navigate the castle corridors and catacombs, to get the jump on the evil Valak? Or will Irene’s troublesome past be a weakness the demon can thrive on?

Hardy’s project is seriously devoid of plot, and it doesn’t seem to mind. While the movie’s opening act suggests real potential — between frame-filling tracking shots of the medieval convent and the intrigue of a religious mystery — it quickly succumbs to its fate of trite storytelling, cheap scares and wholly predictable outcomes. Genre tropes suffuse every square inch of Hardy’s film, which is nonetheless captured nicely by cinematographer Maxime Alexandre (“ Earth to Echo ”).

There is, of course, a certain archetype to today’s horror film — the innocent, young protagonist finds some unfortunate luck, but somehow manages to emerge unscathed, thanks to the muscle of a potential love interest and the wisdom of a more venerable supporting character. We’ve seen it all before. With a promising concept, what could The Nun have done differently? For one, it should have utilized its eerie, Gothic setting further, to build a narrative around religious fanaticism or the dark side of a severely cloistered lifestyle. Instead, the castle-turned-convent is criminally underused and simply a lifeless set piece that’s home to a type of “portal” in the vein of “ Pacific Rim ,” which screams B-movie.

The film also hardly uses Farmiga’s talents. Her outward fear, yet silent composure, as Sister Irene is commendable, but there is nothing to truly suggest her past has thrust her into a sinister Vatican investigation in Romania. In fact, the whole operation, including Father Burke’s role and casework, go unexplained.

What’s more, The Nun could have done more to flesh out Valak’s motivation, and its propensity for a nun’s habit. Altogether, Hardy’s efforts fall short, and his film rivals its spin-off predecessor, “ Annabelle ,” as a surface-level scream-fest without the chops of something like Ari Aster’s “ Hereditary ” or Robert Eggers’ “ The Witch .”

Nonetheless, it almost demands viewing just for the connection to the wider horror “universe.” But for those entering the theater expecting a “Conjuring”-level output — of careful plotting and true world-building — there is sure to be disappointment. That’s because boredom lingers greater than the demon’s many sins. Let’s hope the franchise’s spin-offs end after the raggedy doll and the hissing abbess.

Tagged: church , demon , investigation , nun , prequel , religion , spin-off

Dan is an author, film critic and media professional. He is a former staff writer for the N.Y. Daily News, where he served as a film/TV reviewer with a "Top Critic" designation on Rotten Tomatoes. His debut historical fiction novel, "Synod," was published by an independent press in Jan. 2018, receiving praise among indie book reviewers. His research interests include English, military and political history.

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‘The Nun’ Movie Summary and Review:

I recently watched the movie, The Nun , at my local area movie theater. I was surprisingly thrilled, impressed, and terrified by the dark and eerie thematic elements. The character development, and subsequent plot, pulls the viewer into an intense and horrifying look into evil itself.

Overview of Plot:

A nun completing here vowels (her postulancy) Is summoned by the Catholic Church to an abbey in Romania. She is summoned with a Catholic priest- a priest that is experienced in demonic procession and difficult unholy cases. They have been summoned by the Catholic church to investigate the apparent suicide of one of the abbey’s nuns.

In their unfolding investigation, a dark and sinister force appears to be fueling the evil underbelly of the abbey. The abbey retains a dark and mysterious history.

In their investigation, Sister Irene (the nun in her postulancy) and Father Burke (the Catholic priest) discover that an ancient demon is behind the evil forces and nature of the abbey. This demon masquerades as one of the abbey’s nuns. They discover that the nuns are all dead (murdered by the rampaging demon), with the last nun committing suicide to protect her soul from possession.

The pair’s investigation continues to unravel the sinister background of the abbey’s early history. The abbey’s previous owner, a medieval duke, conducted a ritual that opened a portal to hell. This portal was closed by the blood of Christ when the Catholic knights executed the duke.

Fast forward to the timeline of the film, the abbey is now damaged by bombings inflicted during World War II. This damage now inadvertently allows for the splintering and reopening of this sealed medieval portal. Now enters the nun and priest pair, unsuspecting of the worsening evil spilling from the abbey. The two most look within, and use their own light, to conquer the encroaching darkness as the evil grows more entrenched and powerful.

The film was saturated with creepy and dark imagery. The nun and priest notice odd and disturbing occurrences at the abbey. For example, they notice the front entrance stairs seem to bleed and pool more blood than last observed. This spot marks the area above where the deceased nun’s body was found after her suicide. Upside down crucifixes and crosses are haphazardly deposited throughout the abbey. It seems that the ring of crosses surrounding the grounds marks the effort of the town’s people to keep the evil within. The setting is coated in a thick cloak of fog, mist, and an eeriness that hums loud enough for the audience to feel. The overall eerie tone and darkness surrounding the abbey foreshadows the growing danger the pair face in their investigation.

The demon manipulates and puts the two through terror, as they attempt to seal the portal and save the town. The demon does everything in its power to possess and violate the young, innocent, and pure nun. The demon seeks to open the portal and inflict suffering upon all that attempt to stop it, while also ensuring that evil can further torment more souls and innocent.

Overall, the film was full of entrench dark tones and themes. The acting was believable and pulled the viewer into the world of light and dark- of good and evil. The film’s music amplified the terrifying and distributing imagery on screen. The nun’s presence alone mark an aloof, subtle, and terrifying energy. The nun seemed so unsettlingly calm in pursuing its evil mission, as it relishes in the fear and pain of those it attacks.

In the end, the movie leaves the audience with some answers to the previous installments to the ‘Conjuring’ franchise. The ‘Nun’ was a quality scary horror film that uses terrifying imagery and overall creepiness to move an audience through a dark plot. The overall eeriness factor scored an A average for me. The movie was tastefully scary, with little jump scares. The movie was relentless in creepiness, as fear was drilled into the audience from beginning to end.

Students from Nepal Ayusha Gurung (right) & Shanti Dangal (left) studying in the Bertschi Center.

The Nun Review

A good conjuring history lesson wrapped in a mediocre horror movie..

The Nun Photos

As a piece of the larger Conjuring universe puzzle, The Nun is a fun, if ineffectual history lesson that will provide fans with plenty of dots to connect. On its own merits, The Nun stumbles by not delivering any real terror or investment in its characters, instead resting on its strong visuals and atmosphere and, strangely, humor. Fans of The Conjuring franchise itching for more lore to pore over will get what they came for, but if you were hoping that this would be the scariest film in the franchise… keep praying.

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"[james] bond wasn't on my wishlist": halle berry reflects on die another day 22 years later, all 3 john wayne & jimmy stewart westerns, ranked worst to best, the nun is a thinly-sketched conjuring spinoff that's light on real scares, but offers enough stylish atmosphere to make up (some of) the difference..

Trading in the creaky old houses and haunted apartments from the previous Conjuring movies for a decaying monastery, The Nun is certainly the "biggest" installment in the horror franchise yet. The Conjuring , of course, started out as a single film (very) loosely inspired by the exploits of real-life paranormal researchers Ed and Lorraine Warren, but has since evolved into an entire cinematic universe of sequels and spinoffs. James Wan has served as the architect for this property since the beginning and he remains involved here as a writer and producer, assisting second-time feature director Corin Hardy ( The Hallow ). However, even with Wan's creative input, this quasi-prequel lands somewhere in the middle on the Conjuring movie quality scale. The Nun is a thinly-sketched Conjuring spinoff that's light on real scares, but offers enough stylish atmosphere to make up (some of) the difference.

Set in 1952, The Nun follows Father Burke (Demián Bichir) - a priest who specializes in the supernatural - and soon-to-be nun Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) as they travel to the Abbey of St. Carta in Romania, on the Vatican's orders. There, the pair attempt to uncover the truth behind the apparent suicide of a nun who resided at the mysterious and remote building. Aiding them along the way is Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet), the fellow who delivers supplies to the Abbey... and the only person from the closest village who's willing to visit the supposedly-cursed building.

Upon reaching the Abbey, Burke and Irene are quick to realize that something is terribly wrong with this place and find themselves under attack by the dangerous (and demonic) being that hides within its walls. Armed with nothing more than their inner strength, faith, and unnatural powers that Irene possesses yet doesn't fully understand, the duo set out to learn the truth about this creature, so that they might defeat it at long last. But is it already too late to stop this terrible monster?

Scripted by Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation screenwriter Gary Dauberman (from a story he cowrote with Wan), The Nun provides both a backstory for Valak (aka. the titular demon nun, who previously appeared in The Conjuring 2 ) and a standalone mystery, set against the striking backdrop of the St. Carta Abbey. These narrative and world-building elements are simple and a little silly overall, but serve the film's main interest: creating a rich sense of Gothic atmosphere, in the vein of old-school Hammer Horror movies about creatures like Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. Indeed, The Nun 's fog-ridden primary setting is brought to often gorgeously macabre life on the big screen, thanks to the rich production design by Jennifer Spence and cinematography by Maxime Alexandre - both of whom also worked on Annabelle: Creation and make excellent use of shadow and light with their contributions here.

Unfortunately, The Nun generally skimps on developing its themes about faith and the struggle to keep dark forces at bay (both the mundane and fantastical variety), in order to move along to the next creepy set piece or sequence. Similarly, the film doesn't take the time to paint Father Burke's troubled history and/or Sister Irene's abilities in anything other than broad strokes, making it feel all the more like an exercise in style over substance. As indicated earlier, though, those set pieces are rather slick-looking and justification enough to see this one in IMAX (though the format is not a necessity here). The Nun also tends to be louder and more in-your-face with its jump scares than Conjuring films past, resulting in an experience that's less spooky, but still entertaining as a horror blockbuster and benefits from the enhanced audio of IMAX (especially the ominous score by Penny Dreadful 's Abel Korzeniowski).

Like the story, there's not a whole lot of depth to the characters or their arcs in The Nun . Burke and Irene are both pretty archetypical protagonists (see: the world-weary priest and independent-minded novice), though they certainly benefit from being played by talented character actor Bichir and American Horror Story 's Farmiga (who's also the younger sister of Conjuring lead Vera Farmiga, as it were). Bloquet likewise brings some welcome charm to his role as the cocky yet good-natured Frenchie - even though the character winds up feeling somewhat under-used in the end. Those three serve as the main leads here, with most every other cast member amounting to a glorified extra. The exception, of course, is that of Valak itself, who is once again brought to terrifically sinister and otherwise freaky life through a near-silent performance by Bonnie Aaron.

Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene praying in The Nun

On the whole, The Nun isn't as well-crafted as Conjuring 1 & 2 and Annabelle: Creation , but is noticeably more stylized and enjoyable than the original Annabelle . Hardy further helps to compensate for the film's lack of substance by incorporating some very James Wan-esque technical flourishes and camerawork into the proceedings, thus delivering a relatively low-budget horror thrill ride that looks good (some dodgy CGI aside). The Nun also works as a standalone movie for the large part and avoids leaning too heavily on its ties to the bigger Conjuring universe. However, while the film succeeds in expanding the franchise's greater mythology, its connections to the earlier Conjuring movies don't really enrich their narratives or add new layers of meaning to their stories.

Still, as far as September horror films go, The Nun offers enough eerie fun to pass the time before the heavy-hitters start arriving closer to Halloween - though it's not a must-see, by that same count. Even so, it's nice to see The Conjuring films are beginning to branch out a bit from their haunted house formula and exploring different subgenres and styles of supernatural horror, starting with Hardy's Hammer Horror-inspired romp. Here's to hoping Dauberman has even more success with his directing debut on next year's Night at the Museum -style installment, Annabelle 3 .

The Nun is now playing in U.S. theaters nationwide. It is 96 minutes long and is rated R for terror, violence, and disturbing/bloody images.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments section!

The Nun is a supernatural horror film by director Corin Hardy. When a young nun inexplicably takes her own life in a Romanian monastery, the Vatican sends a priest with a haunted past and a nun on the threshold of her final vows to investigate. Together, they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and very souls,

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When the demon nun Valak first appeared in “ The Conjuring 2 ,” she was a spine-tingling tease of what was to come in " The Conjuring " cinematic universe. The paradoxical existence of a demonized sister of the cloth with horrifying sunken black eyes was an exciting promise given the success of those first two films by James Wan. But Valak's 2018 spin-off, Corin Hardy's “ The Nun ," was a massive disappointment. Its sequel, directed by Michael Chaves , now has the same fate.

“The Nun II” follows Sister Irene ( Taissa Farmiga ) five years after the first film's events. When she befriends Debra ( Storm Reid ), a newbie nun in a crisis of faith, they are put to the test after the Vatican demands Irene perform another miracle. Valak was not destroyed, and she’s reigning terror on religious figures across Europe. As priests fall victim to gruesome demonic murders, from immolations to hangings and more, Irene and Debra rush to a French boarding school to figure out Valak’s motive and how to send her back to hell.

As the series' titular nun, Valak is the core of the film’s horrific efforts. And yet “The Nun II” performs accidental exposure therapy, showing their monster at absolutely every turn, almost immediately desensitizing us to her presence. There’s a reason bogeymen and ghosts are feared in the shadows; their mystery breeds fear. Valak (played again by Bonnie Aarons) is spotlighted at every turn, from traditional hero shots to terrible CGI renditions that occur with fatiguing frequency. She becomes an expected visitation rather than an intentional thrill, and what is meant to startle only provokes a sigh.

There's an overall lack of thoughtfulness in “The Nun II” regarding scares, and Chaves is vehemently loyal to oversaturated tropes. The movie starkly neglects creativity and, in turn, lacks effective fear. With constant slow pans and loud bangs, Chaves' film signals its viewers at every turn, telling us to be scared rather than inspiring it organically. It reads more as a series of vignettes following a strict quota on scares, with narrative dexterity low on the priority list.

Farmiga is the best part of the film, with her performance as Irene presenting nuance and development. Where Irene was timid in the first movie, she now knows her power, and Farmiga brings a level of gusto to the film even as she encounters threats and traumatic memories at every turn. Farmiga has chemistry with Reid but carries most of the weight as Reid functions as more of a sidekick than an equal power. Still, Farmiga’s light is less of a beacon and more of a flickering bulb, trying its best to illuminate a film without the wiring to support her.

Jonas Bloquet reprises his role of Maurice, now working as a handyman at the girls’ boarding school. His budding romance with a teacher there and his protectiveness over her daughter, whom older girls are bullying, injects emotion into the narrative and sets some stakes. However, much of his inclusion becomes equally as cyclical as the rest of the film. Bloquet gives a good performance but is handed a pancaked narrative arc that doesn’t permit much interest.

“The Nun II” is just not built with the acuity or surprise level conducive to a successful horror film. It floods its runtime with an oversaturation of every trick in the book. While returning performers Farmiga and Bloquet give what they can, their emotional efforts are betrayed by a wholly underwhelming script.

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Peyton Robinson

Peyton Robinson is a freelance film writer based in Chicago, IL.

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The Nun II (2023)

Rated R for violent content and some terror.

110 minutes

Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene

Jonas Bloquet as Maurice Theriault

Bonnie Aarons as The Nun / Valak

Storm Reid as Sister Debra

Katelyn Rose Downey as Sophie

Anna Popplewell as Marcella

Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren

Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren

Michael Chaves

Writer (based on characters created by)

Gary Dauberman
Ian Goldberg
Richard Naing
Akela Cooper

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Tristan Nyby
Gregory Plotkin
Marco Beltrami

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Review: ‘The Nun’ is a jumpy but minimally scary extension of ‘The Conjuring’ universe

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The scariest nun movie you could make right now would be a documentary about the sisters of the now-defunct St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington, Vt., whose alleged crimes against children were the subject of a recent BuzzFeed News investigation by Christine Kenneally. Next to the sickening accusations that nuns tortured, maimed, sexually abused and even killed some of their young charges, the villain in the blood-slicked supernatural freakout “The Nun” — a shrieking demon in sacred vestments and grotesque face paint — doesn’t even begin to curdle the blood.

I don’t invoke the subject of real-life abuse lightly; during the brief, dull-ish stretches between this movie’s relentless jolts, it was hard to think about much else. Whether we should view “The Nun” as a timely entertainment or a spectacularly ill-timed one is open to debate, one that will presumably be settled by box-office receipts. More than anything, though, the seemingly endless abuse controversies now engulfing the Roman Catholic Church make this prequel to 2013’s hit “The Conjuring” feel like exactly what it perhaps was always intended to be: a cheap, exploitative diversion.

For the record:

2:25 p.m. Sept. 6, 2018 An earlier version of this article said the now-defunct St. Joseph’s Orphanage was in Burlington, Va. It is in Burlington, Vt.

Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with exploitation. Horror remains perhaps the most metaphorically suggestive of movie genres: Think of the rampaging zombie hordes in “Night of the Living Dead” or the smiling faces in “Get Out,” which can take on the weight of a culture’s unarticulated fears and repressed traumas. But the sinister sisterhood we meet in “The Nun” doesn’t allude to anything deeper or darker lurking beyond the frame. The movie trades in noisy, assaultive jolts that are quick to attack and even quicker to dissipate.

Written by Gary Dauberman (of the “Annabelle” movies, another branch of the “Conjuring” tree), “The Nun” unfolds within the cloistered ruins of a Romanian convent in 1952. A nun has committed suicide, and a weary priest, Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and a fresh-faced novitiate, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), have come to investigate.

Guided by an irreverent local skeptic who goes by Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet, in flirty comic-relief mode), the two make an enchantingly odd detective duo, though it soon becomes clear that they were hand-chosen by the Vatican based on their own past tussles with the occult: Father Burke is regularly gripped by flashbacks to a failed exorcism, Sister Irene by terrifying visions of a more mysterious nature.

Those visions tend to confuse more than they clarify. From the moment Father Burke and Sister Irene set foot inside the abbey, an enormous castle that resembles a mausoleum, they find themselves steadily losing their grip on reality. Are they being driven mad, or is someone actually skittering in and out of their quarters at night? As the pair excavate secrets from a nearby graveyard and dig into the abbey’s subterranean catacombs, they pick up on signs and whispers of a nameless evil lurking within.

The movie’s most (ahem) habitual boo tactic is to have a black-robed figure or several suddenly materialize in the background, often photographed from behind in a way that deliberately frustrates our sense of who’s who. (Exactly how many nuns are actually on the premises is one of the movie’s more intriguing mysteries.) Are these sisters benevolent guardians sent to protect our heroes, or are they satanic minions trying to thwart and subvert God’s power by assuming the appearance of a bride of Christ?

There is little room for ambiguity on that score when it comes to the big, bad Nun herself (the mesmerizing Bonnie Aarons), a hooded banshee who sadly isn’t billed in the credits as Sister Marilyn Manson. This hideous creation first emerged as a creepy footnote in “The Conjuring 2,” referenced as an old nemesis of that movie’s heroine, the paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren. Since Lorraine was played by Farmiga’s older sister, Vera, it’s fair to conclude that Lorraine and Irene are one and the same — or is it? The Conjuring Cinematic Universe, as we are now expected to think of it, is playfully, maddeningly coy on the subject.

The Lorraine/Irene question will almost certainly be taken up in a sequel, which at this point feels more like a threat than a promise. “The Nun,” shot in murky pools of darkness that often leave you squinting at the screen, is a dispiriting reminder that franchising evil inevitably dissipates its impact.

Despite its clammy atmosphere and two credible and appealing leads, the movie is mechanical in its rhythms and unimaginative in its terrors. The director, Corin Hardy, borrows a few clever handheld camera tricks from “The Conjuring’s” James Wan, but he isn’t in the same virtuosic league; he can’t turn this relentless succession of frights into a sustained, shivery bliss-out.

The two “Conjuring” movies, of course, benefited from a touch of working-class realism, set as they were in drab, ramshackle homes that were haunted as much by economic ruin as they were by any devilish influence. “The Nun,” by contrast, is mining more familiar religio-gothic-horror territory. That’s to be expected, of course. The history and symbology of the Catholic Church have long exerted a powerful grip even on the secular imagination, and “The Nun” generates what interest it does by at once reaffirming and subverting those symbols.

The movie industry may not care about faith any more than it cares about anything it can exploit for commercial gain. But religious horror cinema, much as it often spirals into camp silliness, is still one of the few subgenres in which Hollywood bothers to address, let alone affirm, Christian belief. It’s why “The Exorcist” has long been not just one of the great horror films, but one of the great religious films as well — a picture in which the central conflict is not demonic, but epistemological. We can fight the supernatural forces of evil only if we believe in them, and also if we believe they have a powerful enemy.

“The Nun,” which drops frequent and rather desperate allusions to “The Exorcist,” pays tribute to this grand tradition without exactly honoring it. It leaves you wondering if this is how this overstretched series ends — not with a bang, but a wimple.

------------

Rating: R, for terror, violence and disturbing/bloody images

Running time: 1 hour, 36 minutes

Playing: In general release

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Movie Review: The Nun

by The Pulse | Sep 21, 2018 | Opinions

Matt Dekonty Student Writer

A Cardinal Sin

When it comes to horror, there’s a general rule of thumb that less equals more. The idea that throwing everything at the wall within the first five minutes of the film does not bode well for a frightening and tension-filled experience. Alas, The Nun is simply not a scary film. It also makes the mistake of sacrificing its predecessors smart, tension-building execution and excellent set pieces. It instead tries to shock its audience through a tired collection of predictable jump scares and attempts at provocative religious imagery that fails to elicit any sort of real fear. A cross turning upside down may be surprising the first time, but an additional half-dozen occurrences in the span of an already brief runtime doesn’t exactly provoke the same response.

Where It Goes Wrong

The Nun doesn’t waste any time getting into the backstory behind its titular villain, in a cold open sequence that showcases most everything the film has to offer in a matter of about two minutes. Once we are introduced to the story properly, our two main characters are sent on an investigation to find out why the nun in the opening sequence committed suicide, thus setting up our story. This is, somewhat bizarrely, treated as though the audience is meant to be along for the mystery and be surprised by its ultimate revelation, despite the fact that the film clearly spelled out the entire reasoning for her suicide in the very same cold open she’s introduced in. This makes the entire plot feel like an exercise in futility. It’s not exactly compelling to spend 85 minutes explaining a line of dialogue spelled out at the very opening of the film, yet it seems like that’s the intent.

Been There, Nun That

Even without a compelling or original plot, a film can still manage to be effectively frightening if it offers up clever scares, of which The Nun has exactly zero. Every single frightening moment could be telegraphed and predicted with almost comical precision, such as a camera panning back to a character before a corpse drops into the side of the frame, or a seemingly recently deceased villain bursting back to life during a moment of quiet dialogue. None of the gory visuals or generic demon-faced antagonists feel fresh or original at all. During the routine exorcism scenes, it feels like we may as well just be watching nothing. There’s never any real sense of tension because of how often the characters are put in seemingly dangerous situations, only to escape unharmed every single time. For an R rated film, The Nun has a pretty surprisingly low body count, and not much gore to speak of either. It’s a disappointingly, tame film that doesn’t take advantage of its villain’s pre-established aggressive nature to really feel like our characters are in any real danger at any point.

Both the beginning and ending sequences of The Nun feature reused footage from both of the main Conjuring films, as well as an extended flashback sequence to footage from earlier in the film. Despite all of this, the runtime clocks in at just over 90 minutes, yet still feels padded along the way. Most of what fills this runtime is the introduction of our three main characters; a young woman training to become a nun, a priest called in to perform the investigation and a local villager who is tasked with bringing them to the abbey. None of them are given any sort of characterization, yet by the final act, the villager is treated as a strangely out of place comic relief character that clashes heavily with the dark and atmospheric tone the film had been going for up until that point. It’s a clumsy narrative that feels like it was heavily edited and stretched to hit feature length. As a result, it relies too heavily on familiar sequences of a character seeing something in the night and wandering around hallways quietly, before being scared by a loud noise and returning to bed. As a result, much of the middle hour of this film has essentially zero plot and is content to repeat the same series of scenes over and over, until an overly chaotic and unsatisfying finale that, once again, simply fails to be frightening in any way.

In Conclusion

The Nun is the weakest and least entertaining of the five Conjuring films thus far, as it clumsily throws together a mish-mash of genre clichés and ineffective gore, culminating in a final product that feels as hollow and lifeless as the empty building it takes place in. It’s a cheap looking, poorly written and lazily constructed narrative that offers nothing you haven’t seen countless times before in other, better films. Despite a decent lead performance and some interesting set design, The Nun is incredibly boring and ineffective, serving only as a reminder of why its superior predecessors keep us coming back for more, in hopes that they may recreate the same impact that made them so impressive.

Photo retrieved from variety.com

The Nun (2018)

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The Nun movie review: This dreadful spin-off is the final nail in the Conjuring series’ coffin

The nun movie review: featuring idiotic character, a thinly written plot and lacklustre thrills, this conjuring spin-off is the final nail in the coffin. rating: 2/5..

The Nun Director - Corin Hardy Cast - Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet Rating - 2/5

The Nun movie review: Director Corin Hardy takes us back to the origins of the Conjuring universe.

In an episode of his terrific podcast, Lore, host Aaron Mahnke tells the story of how, during the cholera epidemics of the 18th and 19th centuries, it was common for coffins to come with a bell mechanism. A thin rope would lead out from the coffin, snake through the six feet of earth, and connect to a bell attached to the gravestone. This was done to prevent premature burial - or, the objectively terrifying scenario in which a living person (presumed dead) was buried, only for them to wake up hours later. Were an unfortunate soul to find themselves in such a predicament, the idea was for them to pull on the string, attract attention with the bell, and have themselves dug out and return to the land of the living.

According to Mahnke, this is where the term ‘saved by the bell’ originates from, although the veracity of this claim is… muddy.

Instances of premature burial were so common that Edgar Allan Poe wrote a story about it, and a German doctor even conducted several experiments on himself to promote his state-of-the-art coffin, which came equipped with a feeding tube and a stock of sausages.

A similar situation makes for one of the most confusing set-pieces in The Nun, the latest film in the Conjuring Cinematic Universe . In it, a priest is lured out of his chamber in the dead of the night. Displaying the sort of idiocy only horror movie characters seem to possess, he spots a young boy and follows him into a graveyard. There, the priest (played by Oscar nominee Demian Bichir) comes to the realisation that the boy he’d been chasing in pitch darkness is, in fact, a ghost. Long story short, the boy regurgitates a snake (don’t ask) and pushes the priest into an open grave, which spontaneously fills itself in as a gravestone complete with the Father’s name magically appears on top.

Now, common logic - and a cursory knowledge of how films work - would dictate that the priest is simply having a nightmare. He’ll wake up any second now, you think, yelling in his bed and clawing at a coffin that doesn’t exist. But no. Not only does this scene play out in earnest, but when the priest is eventually rescued - or, ahem, saved by the bell - he vaguely blames it all on the presence of ‘evil’.

A nun, a priest and a village idiot walk into a haunted abbey.

This abstract ‘evil’ is often invoked in The Nun - usually when the script runs out of logical explanations for things. Characters are prone to saying things such as, ‘the evil is escaping!’ and ‘the evil must be contained!’.

The evil that they refer to is Valak, a medieval demon who appears in the form of a nun, haunts an eerie Romanian monastery and will decades later make a cameo appearance in the Conjuring 2 . No one dares approach the monastery - even the horses, who stop abruptly at the edge of the surrounding woods because ‘they are too afraid to go any further’. The villagers blame all their misfortune - child deaths, faltering businesses - on the evil that lurks within, the evil that resulted in one nun committing the ultimate sin: Suicide.

Upon hearing tales of this mysterious monastery - and perhaps sensing a PR nightmare brewing - the Vatican sends their best man to investigate. Father Burke (English name, Mexican actor, but who cares?) is to be accompanied by a novice, Sister Irene (played by Taissa Farmiga, sister of the Conjuring’s Vera) - who, it is implied, has some sort of history with Romania. But this plot - like many others in the film - is all but forgotten as the story goes along.

The Nun is largely absent from her own movie. Although there is no shortage of other nuns.

And that, in essence, is the problem with The Nun. It’s too thinly written for the audience to form any sort of connection with the characters, it relies too heavily on the goodwill of the Conjuring movies to have any identity of its own; and far too often, it defaults to the same, generic horror elements that these films have helped perpetuate in Hollywood - and, as evidenced by Netflix’s Ghoul , even in India.

The Nun is directed by Corin Hardy, who is perhaps more known for a film he almost made than for the two that he actually has. For years, Hardy was supposed to direct a remake of the cult classic, The Crow - a project that could very well be cursed by Valak itself, considering the cloak of bad luck that shrouds it. He’d have been the perfect man for the job, because buried underneath his largely unremarkable work in The Nun, there are signs of a fine visual stylist, of someone who has a keen sense of Gothic imagery and atmosphere. But perhaps he isn’t the best fit to play inside someone else’s sandbox.

Will it be revealed in the future that Sister Irene is related to Lorraine Warren, just like Taissa Farmiga is related to Vera? Who knows?

I am absolutely in the minority as far as these Conjuring and Annabelle movies are concerned. They routinely take the easy way out, favouring momentary victories over sustained terror - or mental stimulation, for that matter. Evil nuns are spooky, just like clowns and creepy dolls. That’s half the battle won already. But what a movie chooses to do with these perfect archetypal villains is what sets them apart. While It - the Stephen King adaptation , also co-written by this movie’s Gary Dauberman - chose to use Pennywise as a tool to explore childhood fears and growing pains, The Nun basically just yells at you from in the dark - no context, no subtext. As it turns out, there’s an audience for all kinds of horror.

For instance, the closest relative to The Nun isn’t a schlocky scary movie at all, but a quaint Romanian drama. Director Cristian Mungiu’s Beyond the Hills, with zero jump scares and nearly twice the run time, manages to evoke more fear than most modern horror films. It’s part lesbian romance, part psychological thriller, and part exorcism horror. It’s unfortunate for The Nun that it must be held to such high standards.

It should be satisfying enough for fans of the Conjuring series - God knows if you’ve liked this stuff four times already then you’re probably down for another - but they’re really on their last breath here. It almost makes you want to urge them to tug on the rope.

Follow @htshowbiz for more The author tweets @RohanNaahar

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The ‘Warrior Nun’ Movie Trilogy: Everything We Know About the Series Revival

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The 10 Best Fantasy TV Shows of All Time, Ranked

13 tv shows that changed cast members after the pilot, when to watch ‘emily in paris’ season 4, part 2: premiere date, episode schedule, and more, quick links, is warrior nun getting a movie, when and where can you watch the warrior nun movie, is there a trailer for the warrior nun movie, will warrior nun get a spin-off series, who is the cast of warrior nun, what is the warrior nun movie about, who is making warrior nun.

Fantasy dramas possess an enchanting charm that casts a spell of fascination over audiences, drawing them into realms where the extraordinary mingle with the familiar and the supernatural dances with the deeply human. From the sprawling epic of political intrigue and power struggles elevated by the presence of dragons and dire wolves in Game of Thrones to a nostalgic nod to the 80s mixed with interdimensional mysteries in Stranger Things , fantasy dramas weave a magical tapestry of escapism, wonder, and relatable emotions. Amidst this landscape, a true hidden gem emerged as Warrior Nun .

Inspired by Ben Dunn 's comic book Warrior Nun Areala , the series embarked on a journey that initially seemed destined for obscurity with its story of a young woman thrust into an ancient battle between celestial forces, but Warrior Nun surprised everyone with its skillful merge of divine prophecies and epic battles with the relatable journey of self-discovery. Despite its potential, Netflix pulled the plug on the show after two seasons , causing an uproar within the fan community. The cancelation was particularly disheartening, given the show's substantial LGBTQ+ representation and Netflix's seemingly lackluster promotional efforts.

Alba Baptista as Ava Silva kissing Kristina Tonteri as Sister Beatrice in Warrior Nun

Yet, a glimmer of hope shone for the much-loved series when over subsequent months, the series experienced a revival, owing its resurgence to the unwavering devotion of its passionate fan base and the vocal advocacy of its dedicated showrunner, Simon Barry . Although optimism dwindled as time wore on, with the prospects of a revival appearing increasingly dim, the show's fate took a miraculous turn as Warrior Nun was officially given a new chance , with its third season announced by Barry on June 28th. As we anticipate the arrival of Warrior Nun , it becomes evident that substantial transformations may be on the horizon, and here’s everything we know about the franchise revival.

Related: 'Warrior Nun': Biggest Differences Between the Show and the Comic

While we didn't initially know if Warrior Nun would be returning with a new season or a feature film, executive producer Dean English finally revealed some more information, saying:

I need to start by thanking all of you loyal fans. It’s because of you and your incredible energy that we keep pushing forward to make these stories. You guys really make it all worthwhile. So thank you so much for your continued support. I am very happy to announce that Warrior Nun is coming back as a trilogy of motion pictures. Once again, a trilogy of feature films. Three.

In a pleasantly surprising turn of events, an unexpected yet happy revelation graced us at the close of June 2023: the creator of Warrior Nun , Simon Barry, confirmed that the series had been rescued from its previous plight of Netflix cancelation in December 2022.

While this heartening news came as a breath of fresh air, intriguing details about the show's future destination remained mysterious. The most recent update shows that the premiere date for the highly anticipated return remains unknown. However, amidst the uncertainties, there is one aspect we can confidently confirm: the forthcoming season of Warrior Nun will not be gracing the screens of Netflix. After Barry's momentous declaration, the streaming behemoth made it clear that it had opted not to proceed with the show's third chapter. So, we have to wait and see where the series will land.

As of now, Warrior Nun has not begun filming, so we'll have to wait sometime before we see any new footage. However, if you'd like to rewatch the previous seasons or check them out for the first time, you watch them on Netflix with the link below.

Watch on Netflix

Executive producer Dean English revealed that Warrior Nun would be expanding into a much larger franchise, saying:

Some may ask, ‘Does this perhaps infer that there’s going to be a universe being launched of Warrior Nun, which could expand into films and TV series following characters that we already know?’ The answer to that question is yes. And there will be more details in the future.

warrior-nun-kristina-tonteri-young-alba-baptista

While no official announcement has been given, it seems more than likely that Alba Baptista 's return to reprise her role as the central character, Ava, along with her castmates: Lorena Andrea (Sister Lillith), Olivia Delcán (Sister Camila), Kristina Tonteri-Young (Sister Beatrice), William Miller (Adriel), and Tristan Ulloa (Father Vincent).

Related: 'Warrior Nun' Cast and Character Guide

Over its initial two seasons, Warrior Nun centered on the journey of Ava, who, after being resurrected by a magical Halo, undergoes training under The Order of the Cruciform Sword (OCS) to assume the mantle of the next Warrior Nun. This task sets her on a path to confront the formidable fallen angel Adriel. The intricate plot slowly unfolds as the series delivers an enthralling blend of excitement, romance, and twisted turns.

Warrior Nun ’s appeal emerges from its unique fusion of captivating mythos and meticulously choreographed action sequences. The show boasts unparalleled action scenes and masterful episode direction that consistently astounded audiences. Nevertheless, the profound emotional depth interwoven into the narrative maintained the suspense. Central to its charm was the show's exploration of faith-based religion's multifaceted aspects, uncovering its virtuous heights and darker depths. From the tender bond between Ava and Beatrice to the tragic descent of Lilith, Warrior Nun 's character-driven intensity sets it apart from the rest.

While concrete specifics about the upcoming film remain sparse, the third installment is expected to resume, where the second season concluded with Ava, accompanied by her romantic interest Beatrice, Michael Salvius, and other Order members, engaged in a climactic battle against Adriel. Ava's journey ultimately led her through an Ark, securing her survival while her OCS comrades prepared for an impending holy war. The season's conclusion saw Beatrice's departure from the order, introducing a poignant note of uncertainty and anticipation.

Shortly after confirming the franchise's resurgence, Simon Barry took to Twitter and shared a link to a website named WarriorNunSaved.com which features a countdown timer scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, August 15. Beneath this countdown, an option to subscribe for exclusive updates via email is available, which leaves us eagerly anticipating the forthcoming revelations about what lies ahead in Warrior Nun 's trilogy.

Warrior Nun is created by the talented Simon Barry, who serves as an executive producer alongside Stephen Hegyes , Jet Wilkinson , Dean English, and Robert Burke . The series is produced by Reality Distortion Field, with Jeff Russo and Tangelene Bolton as composers on the show, with Zack Tucker Gangnes , Peter Welter Soler , Matt Bosack , and Todd Giroux serving as producers.

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The ‘Orgasm Gap’ Isn’t Going Away for Straight Women

A new study suggests they still have fewer orgasms during sex than men do, even with age and experience.

An illustration of two people hugging. One person has purple and orange stars and wavy lines across their body. The other person does not have the stars and wavy lines across their body.

By Catherine Pearson

Sex researchers and therapists have long known that women in heterosexual relationships tend to have fewer orgasms than men do. A large new study suggests that this “orgasm gap” persists — and does not improve with age.

The Numbers

The research, published recently in the journal Sexual Medicine, found that across all ages, men of all sexual orientations reported higher orgasm rates during sex — from 70 to 85 percent — compared with 46 to 58 percent for women. Lesbian and bisexual women between ages 35 and 49 reported higher orgasm rates than their heterosexual counterparts.

The analysis included data from eight Singles in America surveys, which are funded and conducted by Match.com annually in collaboration with The Kinsey Institute, the sexuality and relationships research program at Indiana University. The sample included more than 24,000 single Americans between the ages of 18 and 100.

Researchers were especially interested in the question of whether orgasm rates vary by age. Amanda Gesselman, a research scientist with the Kinsey Institute and lead author on the study, said she thought the team might find evidence that the orgasm gap narrows as women develop confidence and learn what they like (and, perhaps, their partners develop skills to help pleasure them).

However, while older gay and bisexual men and lesbian women did have higher orgasm rates, “we really didn’t see evidence of closing the orgasm gap overall,” she said, adding that she hopes future studies will explore the age-orgasm connection further.

“We really, as a society, sort of prioritize men’s pleasure and undervalue women’s sexual pleasure,” Dr. Gesselman said. “And I think that contributes to consistent disparities.”

The Limitations

Emily Nagoski, a sex educator and author of the book “Come Together” — who did not work on the new study — said a limitation of the study was that the survey asked: “When having sexual intercourse in general, what percentage of the time do you usually have an orgasm?” But it did not provide a more specific definition of what “sexual intercourse” means.

Research shows the majority of women require some form of clitoral stimulation in order to orgasm. So if straight women defined “sexual intercourse” as vaginal penetration alone, it makes sense that there was a significant gap in orgasm rates, she said.

A more revealing question might be, “What percentage of the sex you have do you like?” Dr. Nagoski said. “Orgasm is not the measure of a sexual encounter. Pleasure is the measure of a sexual encounter.”

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IMAGES

The Nun Movie Review Essay Example
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The Nun movie reviews: Just how TERRIFYING is The Conjuring spin-off

COMMENTS

The Nun movie review & film summary (2018)
The Nun. A little bit of The Nun goes a long way. With her cheekbones jutting like daggers from her chalky-white skin, her eyes a piercing yellow beneath her habit and her ravenous, bloody fangs, The Nun served as a deeply unsettling image in brief but potent glimpses throughout various films in " The Conjuring " universe. Now, we get an ...
The Nun
Read an in-depth review and critical analysis of The Nun by film critic Brian Eggert on Deep Focus Review.
Review: In 'The Nun,' a Franchise Resumes Its Scary Habits
With this prequel in the "Conjuring" series, the franchise remains a reliable if variably elegant "boo" machine.
The Nun (2018) Review
THE STORY In 1952, a nun commits suicide at a remote Abbey in the heart of Romania and the Vatican wants to know the reasons and machinations on why such a person of the faith would follow through with a vile sin. The Church then dispatches Father Burke (Demián Bichir), a priest who specializes in the supernatural (called a "miracle hunter"), pairing him with Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga ...
Review: 'The Nun' highlights the fear of losing one's faith and
This is the movie's true monster—the possibility that self-surrender in the monastery and possession by a demon are basically the same thing.
'The Nun'
The Nun, set in 1952, provides the backstory to the creepy demon sister who bothered Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring 2, etc.
'The Nun': Film Review
The haunted house mechanics of the 'Conjuring' movies get another workout in 'The Nun,' in which a demonic spirit stalks the cloisters of a secluded abbey.
The Nun Review
Original Title: Nun, The. Based on a controversial 18th-century novel by Denis Diderot (formerly filmed by Jacques Rivette), this follows the agonies of a teen girl pushed towards convent life by ...
REVIEW: The Nun (2018)
1952. When a nun in a remote Romanian abbey commits suicide, the Vatican dispatches Father Burke (Demian Bichir) and the novice Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) to investigate. Irene believes it is a run-of-the-mill, albeit unusual, assignment. Father Burke already knows that their mission is of a more supernatural nature. While every studio in Hollywood fights…
Movie Review: The Nun (2018)
Poo-Review Ratings. The Nun, the fifth film in "The Conjuring" Universe, is a hugely flawed and underwhelming horror film that's both plodding and formulaic. While the film, Corin Hardy's sophomore directorial effort following 2015's " The Hallow ," boasts convincing performances from scream queen Taissa Farmiga (" The Final ...
'The Nun' Movie Summary and Review:
I recently watched the movie, The Nun, at my local area movie theater. I was surprisingly thrilled, impressed, and terrified by the dark and eerie thematic elements. The character development, and subsequent plot, pulls the viewer into an intense and horrifying look into evil itself. Overview of Plot: A nun completing here vowels (her postulancy)...
The Nun Review
Here we are: five movies deep into the most unlikely of cinematic universes with the latest film in the Conjuring series, The Nun. Watching producer James Wan and company spin a surprise summer ...
The Nun (2018 film)
The Nun was released in the United States on September 7, 2018, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It received mixed reviews; critics praised its performances and atmosphere, but criticized its weak narrative and inconsistent logic. It grossed $366 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of the series. [ 5] In 2023, a sequel The Nun II, was released with Michael Chaves directing and James ...
The Nun (2018)
The Nun: Directed by Corin Hardy. With Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons. A priest with a haunted past and a novice on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun.
The Nun Movie Review
The Nun is a thinly-sketched Conjuring spinoff that's light on real scares, but offers enough stylish atmosphere to make up (some of) the difference. Trading in the creaky old houses and haunted apartments from the previous Conjuring movies for a decaying monastery, The Nun is certainly the "biggest" installment in the horror franchise yet. The Conjuring, of course, started out as a single ...
The Nun (2018)
The Nun is a perfect example of why jumpscare abuse isn't enough to make a good horror film.
The Nun II movie review & film summary (2023)
The Nun II is a disappointing sequel to the horror hit, with a weak script that wastes the talents of its returning stars. Roger Ebert gives his honest and insightful review of the film.
Review: 'The Nun' is a jumpy but minimally scary extension of 'The
The scariest nun movie you could make right now would be a documentary about the sisters of the now-defunct St.
The Nun (2018)
When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order's unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of the same demonic nun that first terrorized ...
The Nun Movie Review Essay Example
The Nun Movie Review. The Nun is another movie in the conjuring series that focuses on the evil spirt of a former nun. In this trailer Warner Brothers' studios reaches out to horror movie fans to convince them that this film will be full of scares and the best movie yet of this series. Throughout this trailer, the rhetor and effectively draws ...
Movie Review: The Nun
Been There, Nun That. Even without a compelling or original plot, a film can still manage to be effectively frightening if it offers up clever scares, of which The Nun has exactly zero. Every single frightening moment could be telegraphed and predicted with almost comical precision, such as a camera panning back to a character before a corpse drops into the side of the frame, or a seemingly ...
The Nun (2018)
The plot follows a Roman Catholic priest and a nun in her novitiate as they uncover an unholy secret in 1952 Romania. The movie has great locations, some interesting ideas, good jumpscares and atmospheres, and a pretty good first half. Unfortunately the film has a bad second half with some ridicolous moments.
The Nun movie review: This dreadful spin-off is the final nail in the
The Nun movie review: Featuring idiotic character, a thinly written plot and lacklustre thrills, this Conjuring spin-off is the final nail in the coffin. Rating: 2/5.
'Warrior Nun' Movie: Everything We Know About the ...
Inspired by Ben Dunn's comic book Warrior Nun Areala, the series embarked on a journey that initially seemed destined for obscurity with its story of a young woman thrust into an ancient battle ...
Watch Immaculate
Sydney Sweeney stars as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia's warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
The Australian Professor Who Turned Breaking on Its Head
Breaking made its debut as an Olympic sport Friday, and among the competitors was Dr. Rachael Gunn, also known as B-girl Raygun, a 36-year-old professor from Sydney, Australia, who stood out in ...
The 'Orgasm Gap' Isn't Going Away for Straight Women
The News. Sex researchers and therapists have long known that women in heterosexual relationships tend to have fewer orgasms than men do. A large new study suggests that this "orgasm gap ...

Review by Brian Eggert September 8, 2018

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