TL;DR – We get a film that terrifies in its opening and reigns with a bombast at the end. You just have to get between these two points.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

The Nun II Review –

In 2023, I set myself a goal of dipping my toe more into the Horror genre, and while I am not sure how successful I have been on that front, I have continued with some interesting new entries in that genre. Today’s entry is another film in the Conjuring Universe, of which I have only seen The Conjuring 3, and neither of the three other films the main character appears in before now. With that in mind, can you follow a sequel when you missed everything leading up to it?     

So to set the scene, it is 1956 in Tarascon, France, where a young alter boy is going about his daily routine to prepare for evening mass, not knowing that an evil presence lurks in the dark. Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) is now working in a quiet monastery mentoring young nuns like Sister Debra (Storm Reid) when she is told that The Nun (Bonnie Aarons) is back and carving a swath of destruction across Europe. But the potential victims dramatically increase when The Nun homes in on a school.

The opening sequence shows how powerful this world can be when the sound of footsteps on marble carries so much weight. Following the altar boy (Gaël Raës) going about their tasks as the footsteps meld into the musical score builds such a powerful feeling of disquiet. We feel the danger in every moment, long before the Nun makes their first appearance from the shadows. During this, we see just how powerful the demon is, and also, I think, the best transition in the film. But when The Nun does appear, what a presence Bonnie Aarons is.

This is a film that revels in its final act as all hell breaks loose. The Nun 2 extensively uses its setting to build tension and mysticism. A boarding school that used to be an old monastery gives you much space to work with. It also delves into some seriously creepy iconography outside the titular Nun. I think it will be better to go into this without watching the trailer because there are a couple of moments that hit a lot better if you don’t know they are coming. Also, if you have not seen the previous film, you don’t have to worry about not following along with what is going on, which was a nice relief.  

However, while I think the top and tail of this film work well, the filling in the middle dropped the ball. We get some exciting moments in that section, with the newsstand being a critical stand-out. But you can’t help but feel the film drag to a halt, as we know where Irene has to go but have to wait for an age for her to get there. If you had watched the first film and had a stronger connection to Irene and Maurice (Jonas Bloquet), then it would have had a bit more impact, but alas. Additionally, some characters, like Sister Debra, felt deeply underused and it did over rely on its night setting in places.

In the end, do we recommend The Nun 2? If you liked the first film and the wider Conjuring Universe, I think this will be a must-watch. If you are into horror, I think there are some scenarios that I think you will enjoy. If you don’t fall into either of those camps, I’m not sure I can. If you liked The Nun II, we would recommend to you M3GAN.       

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you watched The Nun II?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of The Nun II
Directed by – Michael Chaves
Screenplay by – Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing & Akela Cooper
Story by – Akela Cooper
Based on – Characters by James Wan & Gary Dauberman
Music by – Marco Beltrami
Cinematography by – Tristan Nyby
Edited by – Gregory Plotkin
Production/Distribution Companies – New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, Universal Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring – Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, Katelyn Rose Downey, Suzanne Bertish, Léontine d’Oncieu & Anouk Darwin Homewood with Peter Hudson, Tamar Baruch, Natalia Safran, Maxime Elias-Menet, Pascal Aubert, Gaël Raës, Florence Mestais, Margaux Borel, Aaron-Jon North, Andrew Morgado & Kate Colebrook and Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: na; Germany: na; New Zealand: na; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R