Unlike the other films in The Conjuring Universe, The Nun’s story does not derive from a true story. Writers, James Wan and Gary Dauberman, based this horror movie on a mythological demon named “Valak.” While Lorraine Warren does share her memories of visions of the demon in her home, fiction makes up the majority of The Nun’s plot. The film’s director, Corin Hardy, had the set blessed by a priest prior to the start of the production. As of September 23, 2018, The Nun grossed $100.9 million in the United States and Canada, which greatly surpasses the $22 million budget.
The film starts with a nun at an abbey in Romania as she flees from the demon (Bonnie Aarons) to save her soul. To get away from Valak, the nun sacrificed her life when she jumped out of a window. Once the Vatican heard of the apparent suicide, they sent Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) to investigate. When they arrived in Romania, the duo spoke with the man who found the deceased nun, Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet). From there, the film takes a dive into mystery and terror as Father Burke and Sister Irene uncover the truths of the Romanian abbey.
The movie’s special effects amazed me. The time period takes place in the 1950s, so the abbey suffered bomb damage from WWII. The attention to detail and historical accuracy added a nice touch. The eerie forest that surrounded the building stood out because of the low branches and superb lighting. Moonlight, when in a certain setting, either makes a scene lighthearted or terrifying. In this case, the moonlight made the shadows appear more mysterious and threatening.
While music can’t make a movie scary, The Nun sure tried to use it to cover up the predictable jump-scares like a bandage. The score, composed by Abel Korzeniowski, set the mood for every scene (not that it needed to do much work because the acting was impressive). The attempt at a scary effect was a disappointment. Instead of a unique script that would send people home from the theater with nightmares, the movie left them with the want to download the playlist.
Plot twists in this film saved it from a two-star review. In the beginning, Sister Irene seems interested in Frenchie and set up the expectation for some annoying romance. As a pleasant surprise to the audience, the closest thing to romance was a bit of CPR. Romance has its place, and a horror movie should have bigger problems to worry about. The Nun succeeded with the real effect and didn’t try too hard with an added romance. Who has time to fall in love when a crazy demon wants your soul?
For anyone on the prowl for a scary movie to see, don’t watch The Nun unless you want to feel like a psychic.
Rate: 3 out of 5 stars
