It's a rarity for horror sequels to be as good as the originals or even manage to surpass their predecessors. Generally speaking, most follow-ups end up paying in comparison with fans wishing that they were never made. Surprisingly though, that isn't the case here as The Nun ll arrives in theaters and presents itself as being a significant improvement over its mediocre original. Though it still falls victim to the same issues regarding predictability and a heavy abundance on jump scares that plagued the first, the sequel still proves itself to be an effective horror sequel that's bigger, darker, and more entertaining this time around.
Picking up four years after the original , the sequel plac s Sister Irene once again coming face-to-face with Valek, the demon nun after the latter murders a priest in 1956 France. The Nun ll feels like a legitimate improvement over its predecessor with more creativity and thoughtfulness being put into the films jump scares despite its plot bearing the same issues in regards to lacking originality. Where the film struggles in terms of predictability, it more than compensates by establishing an atmosphere that's creepy and ultimately serves up some genuinely decent scares with most horror fans finding it to be a more satisfying experience than the first (Though that isn't saying much given the originals lackluster quality).
As far as acting goes, the cast proves dependable in delivering solid performances that help to maintain the audiences attention towards the story, as well as keeping them at the edge of their seat. Taissa Farmiga reprises her role from the original Nun and shines with delivering a delightfully terrific performance as Sister Irene, that becomes the heart of the film. Jonas Bloquet also returns as Maurice with his character now working at a boarding school and even becoming possessed at one point. Both Farmiga and Bloquet make for sympathetic leads as the audience recalls their previous experience with battling the demon. Other impressive performances include the fantastic Storm Reid as Sister Debra, Anna Popplewell as Kate, and Bonnie Aarons being absolutely chilling as The Demon Nun, Valek.
Directed by Michael Chaves who previously helmed The Curse Of La Lorna and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, he creates a genuinely creepy atmosphere and maintains it throughout the course of the film. In terms of graphic imagery, the sequel is more darker and violent than the first film in comparison. Some of the creepy images shown include the scary demonic nun, a goat monster, a priest catching on fire and burning, and a corpse lying in a huge blood puddle. One of the sequels key areas of improvement over its predecessor is its pacing. The story moves at a solid pace and feels more confident in where it wants to insert its numerous jump scares, while also generating a feeling of dread that maintain the audiences engagement with the story. Despite Chaves work being his strongest out of the three Conjuring films in the series, it isn't perfect as some of the jump scares don't always achieve their desired effect.
Although the writing marks a noticeable improvement over this time around, it's still bound to many of the numerous issues that plagued the originals script. The plot still leans towards feeling relatively thin and key themes such as embracing one's fears and doing so while facing extraordinary odds are treated as being afterthoughts rather than being given the proper exploration. For its main characters, the script works well as being an extension of their story from the first film with Sister Irene and Maurice coming face to face again with the demon nun. Irene is presented as being a stronger female character this time around with her having both the courage and perservance to fight the demonic nun, along with Sophie appearing sympathetic to audiences. Along with the scripts strong elements including its immersive prologue and an intense chapel sequence that happens midpoint, it has numerous setbacks that keep it on the level of being serviceable such as the films strongest sequences ending in a lackluster fashion, a heavy reliance on exposition that ultimately makes the scriptwriting feel uneven, and numerous side characters often feeling like generic characters in other horror films.
Whereas the first Nun didn't have audiences feeling genuinely scared or thinking it to be anything other than passable horror entertainment, The Nun ll provides a more satisfying experience this time around with it being more darker, violent, and creative in terms of generating an unsettling atmosphere that sticks for the most part. It doesn't do much to improve its predecessors reputation, but it works to atone for its past sins and checks off all the required boxes to conjure up a more enjoyable experience that works for the spooky season.
Final Verdict: A more satisfying than the first Nun though still isn't great. Worth watching if you're a fan of the series.
Images Courtesy Of Warner Bros. Pictures
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