The Demon Nun’s superpowers include a knack for popping up to do jump scares, and when the third act comes, she can possess people. But in “The Nun 2” – as with 2018’s “The Nun” – she also has the power to make viewers forget what they’re seeing. She’s a generic villain in a horror movie so generic that the subtitles at one point say “[generic music plays].”
The Fifties-set sequel follows two parallel storylines wherein the characters slowly catch up to the audience’s knowledge. In one, Taissa Farmiga’s Sister Irene investigates a series of killings throughout Europe by the Demon Nun (played by Bonnie Aarons, and named Valac, if you do internet research).
In the other, we catch up with Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) – part of Irene’s squad of demon hunters in the first film — now working as a gardener and handyman at a girls’ boarding school. He gets along well with student Sophie (Katelyn Rose Downey) and her teacher mom Kate (Anna Popplewell).
“The Nun II” (2023)
Director: Michael Chaves
Writers: Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, Akela Cooper
Stars: Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid
Sister act
Not having rewatched “The Nun” before this, I wondered for a while if Sophie’s storyline is Sister Irene’s backstory, since Farmiga and Katelyn Rose look similar. But nope. That was me misunderstanding the narrative, and also perhaps subconsciously hoping for something less simple.
Admittedly, in “The Nun II” – directed by Michael Chaves (“Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It”) and penned by a new trio of writers — I did get mildly engaged by the characters.
Unfortunately, it’s only in short bursts of simple arcs. For example, Sister Debra (Storm Reid) accompanies Irene on this mission. Her thing is that she doesn’t truly believe in God, but at the end – after seeing buttloads of supernatural happenings – she does, and her newfound belief could tip the scales against Valac.
“The Nun II” doesn’t develop into a complete, compelling work, but it has its moments. For instance, Irene is looking at a wall display of magazines at an outdoor stand, being rippled by the wind. The pages slowly form into an image of Valac – an excellent visual effect both in concept and execution.
Cinematographer Tristan Nyby soaks up ruined portions of French cities, and leans too dark at times. But I don’t think “Nun II’s” bizarre resistance to building a mood is his fault.
Tiny hints about the big picture
Part of the problem is the story’s position in the wider “Conjuring” Universe. (This is either the ninth or eighth entry, as the peripheral “Curse of La Llorona” has been demoted out of the saga since my previous check of the Wikipedia page.)
Taking place in the Fifties, the “Nuns” are the first films chronologically, but Valac menaces people later in the timeline, so we know she can’t be totally defeated in the “Nun” pictures.
(SPOILERS FOLLOW.)
Adding to the confusion, Valac is rather blatantly dispatched – burned to a crisp – at the end of “Nun II.” This seems to be a plot hole, but the saga has vaguely suggested that Valac has some sort of time-hopping powers. In an intriguing moment, Sophie peers into a room at her boarding school and it’s the gaudy-wallpapered hallway from the Warrens’ 1970s house.
And later, in quick flashes of Sister Irene’s memories/visions, one frame shows Vera Farmiga’s Lorraine Warren. The actress is the older sister of Taissa, and that leads to fan theorizing that maybe Sister Irene and Lorraine are related. This is either a clue or wink in that direction.
The bottom line is that Valac apparently has time-traveling powers. Maybe those will be explored in “The Nun III.” It’s unfortunate that those powers are paired with her ability to mind-wipe viewers. When that film rolls around (and it will – these movies do great at the international box office), I will have forgotten “The Nun II,” but I guess I can look back at this review for research.