The Nun
3.5/4
Starring: Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons
Rated R for Terror, Violence, and Disturbing/Bloody Images
Fun fact about me: religious-oriented horror scares the crap out of me (save for "The Exorcist," which has not aged well). I remember reading a local Chicago legend about a group of ghost monks that scared the crap out of me (that was not a fun night, as I recall). And despite not having seen it since its release, Valek the demon nun from "The Conjuring 2" haunts my nightmares. So when they announced the inevitable spin-off of that character, I greeted it with excitement and apprehension.
"The Nun" is an example of true horror. There is a palpable sense of dread and terror that permeates through virtually every frame of this movie. The jump scenes are not just someone being surprised at a person standing behind them. They are legitimate, violent shocks. "The Nun" relies more on atmosphere and careful camera angles rather than blood and special effects.
A nun at a Romanian abbey has just committed suicide. The Vatican believes this is strange, so they send Father Burke (Bichir), a miracle expert to investigate. Sent to help him is a nun-in-training named Sister Irene (Farmiga), who allegedly knows the area and has religious visions. There, they encounter an ultimate evil.
Right. "The Nun" is light on story and even lighter on character development, but that's okay. The appeal of this movie is purely visceral. We experience the same terror that the characters do. We see terrifying visions like faceless nuns, decaying bodies and people being flung across the room by an invisible force. This abbey is so fraught with danger and horror that it's amazing that Father Burke, Sister Irene and their guide Frenchie (Bloquet) are able to function at all, much less put a stop to it.
This is not an actor's show. Demian Bichir simply has to act like he's determined to stop the evil by any means possible. Taissa Farmiga manages to create a sympathetic character despite only being required to scream (she, like her sister Vera, who is a veteran of "The Conjuring" movies, possesses a great set of lungs). Jonas Bloquet does some interesting things as their hunky guide Frenchie, who isn't as cocky or brave as he'd like to be. The Demon Nun is once again played by Bonnie Aarons.
If there's a flaw with this movie, it's these two things. The story, thin as it is, could have been strengthened so we knew who the minor characters are. It's relatively unimportant, but wondering who so-and-so is when they're talking or why they're still alive when you thought they were dead takes you out of the moment. If only temporarily. And the cinematography is acceptable, but the dim bulbs of the theater make it seem like everything is filmed under a fog. And there are times, particularly in the beginning, when everything moves too fast. Stretching out some of the early scenes and a colder sense of atmosphere (think "Nosferatu the Vampyre") would have made the film even more terrifying (some elements of the film, including the score, appear to be going for that effect). That said, if this movie were even scarier, theaters might have to put out warnings like they did for "Incredibles 2," except this time it would be for heart attacks.
"The Nun" is for horror aficionados only. Those who don't like being scared should stay away. I had to drive home from the theater with my indoor lights on. But for those who crave terror and suspense, this is a movie for you. Just don't take the kids. It's pure nightmare fuel.
Starring: Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons
Rated R for Terror, Violence, and Disturbing/Bloody Images
Fun fact about me: religious-oriented horror scares the crap out of me (save for "The Exorcist," which has not aged well). I remember reading a local Chicago legend about a group of ghost monks that scared the crap out of me (that was not a fun night, as I recall). And despite not having seen it since its release, Valek the demon nun from "The Conjuring 2" haunts my nightmares. So when they announced the inevitable spin-off of that character, I greeted it with excitement and apprehension.
"The Nun" is an example of true horror. There is a palpable sense of dread and terror that permeates through virtually every frame of this movie. The jump scenes are not just someone being surprised at a person standing behind them. They are legitimate, violent shocks. "The Nun" relies more on atmosphere and careful camera angles rather than blood and special effects.
A nun at a Romanian abbey has just committed suicide. The Vatican believes this is strange, so they send Father Burke (Bichir), a miracle expert to investigate. Sent to help him is a nun-in-training named Sister Irene (Farmiga), who allegedly knows the area and has religious visions. There, they encounter an ultimate evil.
Right. "The Nun" is light on story and even lighter on character development, but that's okay. The appeal of this movie is purely visceral. We experience the same terror that the characters do. We see terrifying visions like faceless nuns, decaying bodies and people being flung across the room by an invisible force. This abbey is so fraught with danger and horror that it's amazing that Father Burke, Sister Irene and their guide Frenchie (Bloquet) are able to function at all, much less put a stop to it.
This is not an actor's show. Demian Bichir simply has to act like he's determined to stop the evil by any means possible. Taissa Farmiga manages to create a sympathetic character despite only being required to scream (she, like her sister Vera, who is a veteran of "The Conjuring" movies, possesses a great set of lungs). Jonas Bloquet does some interesting things as their hunky guide Frenchie, who isn't as cocky or brave as he'd like to be. The Demon Nun is once again played by Bonnie Aarons.
If there's a flaw with this movie, it's these two things. The story, thin as it is, could have been strengthened so we knew who the minor characters are. It's relatively unimportant, but wondering who so-and-so is when they're talking or why they're still alive when you thought they were dead takes you out of the moment. If only temporarily. And the cinematography is acceptable, but the dim bulbs of the theater make it seem like everything is filmed under a fog. And there are times, particularly in the beginning, when everything moves too fast. Stretching out some of the early scenes and a colder sense of atmosphere (think "Nosferatu the Vampyre") would have made the film even more terrifying (some elements of the film, including the score, appear to be going for that effect). That said, if this movie were even scarier, theaters might have to put out warnings like they did for "Incredibles 2," except this time it would be for heart attacks.
"The Nun" is for horror aficionados only. Those who don't like being scared should stay away. I had to drive home from the theater with my indoor lights on. But for those who crave terror and suspense, this is a movie for you. Just don't take the kids. It's pure nightmare fuel.
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