The Nun II doesn’t waste time luring the audience into a false sense of security- the film is creepy from the first frames. The strange goings-on start in the opening scenes, as we witness a selection of sinister moments from the perspective of altar boy Jacques. This felt like a fresh approach to horror filmmaking as often the audience is either left waiting for (what felt like) hours for the first supernatural occurrence or the characters themselves take a while to be convinced of what they are seeing.
After her experience in ‘The Nun’, our heroine Sister Irene is not messing around this time and she, and her new devil-busting partner Debra, quickly launch their investigation into a trail of demonic possession sweeping Europe. Jonas Bloquet also reprises his role as Maurice, the caring handyman who previously saved Sister Irene from the forces of darkness. Bloquet portrays his character’s duality with ease, evoking horror
and sympathy in equal measure, especially when the film reveals that everything may not be as it seems. Movie fans may recognise Maurice’s love interest, teacher Kate (Anna Popplewell), from her role as Susan in the much-loved early 2000s adaptation of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. Kate’s daughter, played by Katelyn Rose Downey, excellently portrays the role of underdog Sophie who ends up being one of the film’s heroes.
What gave the film a surprising level of depth were the references to the disturbing religious legend of the eyes of Saint Lucy. For reader’s information, Saint Lucy was executed at the hands of Emperor Diocletian in 304 AD after refusing to marry due to her religious beliefs. After gouging her eyes out, Roman soldiers attempted to set her on fire but miraculously she did not burn, later being executed by sword earning her martyr status. For the purposes of The Nun II Lucy’s eyes are given vital importance in the battle against evil.
On September 8th, the greatest evil in the conjuring universe returns #TheNun2. pic.twitter.com/1lJJrijy5s
— The Nun (@thenunmovie) July 6, 2023
One of the film’s most memorable scenes is when Sister Irene chases Jaques through the dark streets of 1956 France only to be distracted by a magazine stand on which the magazines appear to move on their own. The magazines eventually form a face, the face of The Nun. This may sound underw
helming in print but on screen was extremely effective, demonstrating the old adage that sometimes less is more in the world of horror. It would be fair to say that many horror films today compensate for a lack of real plot and scares with an overuse of special effects – ‘The Boogeyman’ which came out earlier this year being a prime and unfortunate example. It was nice to see director Michael Chaves returning to the vintage horror basics.
Although the film doesn’t really break any new ground, with cliches not being difficult to find, it is still rather entertaining. So, if you are looking for a fun way to fill a dull September afternoon then ‘The Nun II’ is definitely the film for you.
Verdict – 3/5