[Watch our review above or read it below!]
The Nun II, the ninth instalment in the ever-growing Conjuring universe, feels more like one for franchise die-hards than anyone after a genuinely effective horror film.
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A follow-up to 2018’s The Nun — which I didn’t think much of, despite its huge box office — this sequel brings back Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) and Maurice (Jonas Bloquet). They’re in different parts of Europe this time, mostly so the story can pad itself out before their inevitable reunion.
Narratively, it’s a weak effort. Irene teams up with another nun, Debra (Storm Reid), for an investigation that feels aimless and strangely hollow — especially considering the film more or less spells out the ending early on.
Along the way, we get a parade of well-worn horror clichés. The characters are thinly written, their motivations barely sketched out, and the scares rely heavily on setups that have been done to death. You’ve seen this kind of thing before — and better.
That wouldn’t be such a problem if the film delivered some creative or unsettling payoffs. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The scares fall flat more often than not, and one creature that pops up in the final stretch is more laughable than frightening.
To its credit, The Nun II looks decent. It’s competently shot, and the production design fits the mood they’re going for. But beyond surface-level craft, there’s not much here worth recommending.
