A priest, Father Burke (Demián Bichir), and a young, inexperienced nun, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) are recruited by the Vatican to investigate a suspicious death. When the two arrive they find that the death is far more sinister than they could have imagined, and a spirit known as The Nun is now after them. Their lives are in danger, and together they will be forced to fight evil that they never believed to be possible.
There are moments when the score seems to be a little too much, like it’s overdone to the point that it almost makes the intensity that should exist dissipate. When the score is too dramatic, it makes it difficult for me to appreciate the intended sentiment. This happens early and often, and it begins right at the start of The Nun. This sort of leaves a bad taste in my mouth, one that lingered throughout the course of my viewing. Every time that I had hoped the issue had been rectified, the film revisits this, reminding me of the poor choice to be overdramatic, stealing again from the intensity that could have existed.
The Nun, in just about every way, is your standard horror film. The film is safe, made for the masses, and will ultimately be able to attract those individuals who seek out films of this genre. The film is full of jump scares, gorey visuals, and a series of other common things. To be safe isn’t a bad thing, because ultimately the filmmakers are guaranteeing themselves at least some success--but I always want something just a little bit different. In a film that’s part of a now massive franchise, I think that something needed to be different, allowing it to stand apart from the thousands of other horror films that have come before, but there’s just nothing unique about The Nun.
Much like other standard horror films, The Nun falls victim to being too complicated in its narrative. While the basic premise of the film is easy enough to comprehend, there are so many moving parts, so many things that aren’t effectively explained that I found myself confused from time to time. Jump scare after jump scare comes into the fold, and each one seems to come with a different result–ones that seem to come with some sort of history, but not ones that I could explain. Things are left open for viewers to attempt to decipher, and maybe those who have seen the other films that are part of this franchise are able to figure everything out, but The Nun should be able to stand on its own. There is some fan service at the start of the film, a call back to a previous film–and I’m sure this is the case throughout the course of the rest of the film as well, but for me, a newbie to the franchise, I was lost.
The thing that keeps The Nun’s head above water is the cinematography. This film is technically sound, effective in taking viewers on a dark journey. It navigates the troubling halls of the monastery with grace and expertise, something that allows viewers to be fully immersed in the sights and sounds of the film. Even in the moments that I found to be less than adequate, the cinematography pulled me into the film and allowed me to better appreciate the characters and their collective journey.
Ultimately this film serves its purpose. It will scare some viewers through a series of familiar (and sometimes antiquated) tactics, and it will be just bloody enough to entice the more intense viewer–but it’s not made for viewers who want something astounding or groundbreaking. The Nun can’t exist on its own, and it doesn’t feel like just anyone can watch, understand, and enjoy the film from beginning to end. The film knows exactly what it wants to be, and it safely and effectively does just that.
Directed by Corin Hardy.
Written by Gary Dauberman & James Wan.
Starring Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Ingrid Bisu, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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