[Movie] The Nun II: A continuation of paralyzing, harrowing horror

Greetings, Hive Scrobblers! This is my third entry in @wiseagent's initiative.

We’ll be reviewing The Nun II; in my previous post, I reviewed the first The Nun movie, and now we’re going to talk about this second installment, which is even more thrilling and spine-chilling than the first. If the first movie made your hair stand on end, brace yourselves, folks—because the sequel has a lot in store. Personally, I consider it one of the best horror movies I’ve ever seen, although the romantic aspect left me feeling a bit underwhelmed.

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Let’s get into the review; I hope to convey the full experience, as the story truly left me stunned.

It all begins in 1956 in France, where a priest is murdered and an ancient evil begins to spread. Sister Irene finds herself face-to-face once again with the demonic force of Valak. Directed by Michael Chaves and released in 2023, The Nun II completely surprised me with how it managed to surpass the original film. The cast displays remarkable acting maturity: Taissa Farmiga is flawless as Irene, Jonas Bloquet conveys great vulnerability and tenderness as Maurice ("the Frenchman"), Storm Reid brings a breath of fresh air as Sister Debra, and Bonnie Aarons terrifies us once again with her imposing presence. We also see performances from girls at the boarding school, as well as a young mother and her daughter. From my perspective, the visual and narrative elements are better crafted, offering the viewer a solid and impeccably executed entry in the horror genre. The scenes are hair-raising; I screamed more than once at the unexpected jump scares. It reminded me of those TikTok videos my son shows me, where someone is doing something mundane—like batting a ball—and suddenly it feels like it’s being hurled straight at your face. That is just how direct and impactful the scares feel. I watched it with my children, and they had the same reaction.

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As an educator, I found it crucial to highlight and raise awareness about the negative impact of the bullying scenes Sophie and the other girls endure at the boarding school; I could relate to this, having witnessed similar incidents at my own workplace. These are deplorable acts that must be eradicated, and seeing them depicted in the film makes it necessary to discuss and condemn them. On another note, the first film hinted at a certain chemistry between Sister Irene and the Frenchman—something I was excited to see develop in this new installment. However, out of respect for Irene’s vows, the plot introduces a woman and her daughter, hinting at a subtle connection between him and this new family. The horror sequences and the presence of Valak in the form of a nun are, in themselves, the film's best horror moments—possessing an undeniable rawness. If you are a sensitive person, I do not recommend watching this movie, as it contains very intense scenes involving children; I found them difficult to watch—since most of the action takes place at a boarding school—and there were times I had to look away. Nevertheless, the film lived up to the hype, standing out as the best demonic horror movie I have seen to date.

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In the end, everything is resolved—perhaps not in the ideal way, but in my view, good must always triumph. The Frenchman manages to save himself from eternal possession by Valak thanks to Irene, who succeeds in exorcising the terrifying demon; in doing so, she returns the favor for the time he saved her in the previous installment. Without a doubt, this is a film well worth watching and admiring.

Images from TMDB.
I used Google Translate; my native language is Spanish.

Rating: 90/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/movies.