The Nun 2 (2023) spoiler free review
“Confess your sins”. The Nun II is a 2023 American gothic supernatural horror film directed by Michael Chaves (The Curse of la Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) and written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and Akela Cooper. It serves as a sequel to The Nun (2018) and the ninth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise, third in chronological order. It was released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 8, 2023.
In 1956 France, a priest is violently murdered, and Sister Irene begins to investigate. She once again comes face-to-face with a powerful evil.
Film synopsis
The cast includes Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene, Jonas Bloquet as Frenchie / Maurice, Storm Reid as Sister Debra, Anna Popplewell as Kate, Bonnie Aarons as Valak / the Nun, Katelyn Rose Downey as Sophie, and Suzanne Bertish as Madame Laurent.
My opinion
Four years after the events of The Nun (2018) Sister Irene is force to face once again the demon that almost killed her, Valak. With Sister Debra as her company, they must reach France before the demon achieves his goal. Following the same formula as the other installments of the franchise, The Nun II is a sequel that lacks originality but manages to be better than its predecessor. The premise and reasons for the return of the demon are interesting enough to motivate finishing the movie. Even so, the biggest mistake is turning the film into what we are already used to seeing in this franchise instead of moving away and bringing a new experience. The potential was there, it just needed a little push.
Taissa Farmiga proves once again that she is made for the role and the horror genre. The addition of Storm Reid as Sister Debra was a right choice, turning by little moments into the comedy relief without overdoing it. The plot is easy to follow and understand even if details of the first film where forgotten by the viewer since it gives a short refresh at the right moments. The other mistake was making the film excessively dark, preventing the scenes from being seen correctly, and almost two hours long. Concluding with an semi open ending and a post-credits scene, only time will tell if we will see Sister Irene facing demons again.