The Nun: Movie Review

Good or bad, "The Nun" deviates from the formula that has marked "The Conjuring" universe and made it the juggernaut that it is. While we applaud the bravery, the film stumbles to make its new elements really work. What we get is a mixed bag of expectedly great horror intermixed with sequences more akin to an action film than a horror film.

When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest (Demian Bichir) that has great experiences in dealing with miracles and the occult and a novitiate (Taissa Farmiga) with a secret past is sent by the Vatican to investigate if the Abbey remains holy or not. Together they uncover the order’s centuries-old secret - risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls. What they confront is a powerful and malevolent force in the form of a nun out for a way to find a host and release itself into the world.

We couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed by "The Nun". On one hand, when it doesn't deviate from the tried and true formula of its predecessors, the film is a harrowing experience. Most of this happens during the first half of the film wherein we encounter the demon Valak in her most demure form. Hiding in shadows, behind people or basically tricking her victims to lure them - this hour or so was our favorite. Not only because of the tense-filled sequences but this was the film's most creative as we got scary scenarios we didn't predict at all. Unexpectedly, the last half hour of "The Nun" turned out to be a complete 180. This time, we get Valak as an in-your-face entity throwing a barrage of attacks against our leads. She's not shy and shows herself fully countless times. Let's just say it gets a little bit off-the-rails that it even involves a shotgun to stop her. It's a new try for "The Conjuring" universe but in this case, it didn't really work. From completely dreading Valak's presence, we got desensitized and found ourselves laughing at the silliness. The film from a horror film suddenly turned itself more into an action film. Additionally, while "The Nun" did reveal Valak's origins, it never really told much more than that. We never got to know the connection between Valak and Lorraine Warren. It's probably being reserved for a sequel but we wished we actually got more than just an origin story. Don't get us wrong, "The Nun" is an enjoyable experience overall but it tried to do something different but unfortunately didn't work as they expected it to be. Still be prepared to be scared out of your wits from time to time.

Rating: 3 and a half reels




Why you should watch it:
- the claustrophobic abbey was the perfect backdrop to bringing in the chills
- the horror devices used were rather fun and creative

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the film starts to break down in its latter parts when it transitioned to an action film feel than a horror film
- never really answers much as it sets itself up for a possible sequel