After five years lying in wait, "The Nun" is emerging from the shadows to scare us once again. Are the first reviews a blessing, or is the movie getting a demonic reception? Here's what audiences and critics had to say.
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00:00 After five years lying in wait, The Nun is emerging from the shadows to scare us once
00:05 again.
00:06 Are the first reviews a blessing, or is the movie getting a demonic reception?
00:11 Here's what audiences and critics had to say.
00:14 The Nun 2 marks a comeback for one of the Conjuring universe's most prolific ghouls,
00:18 Valak, the sinister demon played by Bonnie Ahrens.
00:21 "This thing, it's come back for me."
00:24 The sequel picks up the story of heroic nun sister Irene and her probably-possessed bestie
00:29 Frenchie, four years after the original film's ending.
00:33 Franchise newbie Storm Reid joins the cast of the sequel, alongside Chronicles of Narnia
00:37 alum Anna Popplewell.
00:39 The Nun 2 has gathered buzz for a few reasons, including the fact that it's the first Conjuring
00:44 universe film to get all the fanfare of a major release since 2019's Annabelle Comes
00:49 Home.
00:50 The third Conjuring film, initially delayed by COVID-19, premiered simultaneously in theaters
00:55 and on the streaming service HBO Max.
00:58 Critics were less than enthusiastic in response to it, and amid the pandemic, it didn't get
01:02 the big, communal experience horror fans love to see at the theater.
01:07 Luckily, The Nun 2 is here to fix that.
01:10 Maybe.
01:11 Even within the ranks of Slash Film's own staff, The Nun 2 has proven divisive.
01:15 In his review of the film, Jeremy Mathai pointed out that the sequel is unambitious compared
01:19 to past installments of the franchise.
01:21 He wrote,
01:22 "Despite packing in a number of nifty scares and establishing a tone that overtly embraces
01:27 its own absurdity, the film's inescapable connections to the overall franchise hinder
01:31 its goals more than it helps."
01:33 Mathai said the film starts strong but grows more predictable as its runtime wears on,
01:38 and he ultimately gave The Nun 2 a 6 out of 10 rating.
01:42 Slash Film writer William Bibbiani was even less complimentary, tweeting,
01:45 "Say what you will about The Nun 2, but it somehow manages to be generic and absurd.
01:51 Impressive!"
01:52 Bibbiani noted that heaps of praise should go to the inestimably talented Thaisa Farmiga
01:56 and highlighted at least one enjoyable set piece.
01:59 But his ultimate conclusion was that this isn't The Conjuring films at their best.
02:04 Writer and editor B.J. Colangelo, meanwhile, was a bit more positive about the film, noting
02:09 via Twitter that she enjoyed The Nun 2 more than the first one, and found a few jump scares
02:14 quite effective.
02:15 While she does note that the story occasionally felt like three different films fighting for
02:19 the main plot at times, she had praise for the performances.
02:22 She made special note of Storm Reid, whom she calls a welcome addition to the Conjuring
02:26 universe, and Bonnie Ahrens, whom she notes is a treasure.
02:31 Based on Slash Film's first reactions alone, the movie sounds like it's far from perfect.
02:36 But what do her other critics say?
02:37 Well, they're divided, too.
02:39 Alan Zilberman, who reviewed the flick for Washington City Paper, wrote on Twitter,
02:43 "The Nun 2 is a vast improvement over the original, because it internalizes the wicked
02:47 silliness of its demonic monster.
02:50 She has more in common with the Babadook and Pennywise than Pazuzu."
02:54 In a review of The Nun 2, IndieWire critic Alison Foreman points out the film's, quote,
02:58 "oddly pearl-clutchy approach to Christianity."
03:01 But she also calls the movie "a redemptive triumph for the Conjuring's merciless mother
03:05 superior," portrayed once again by the devilishly divine Bonnie Ahrens.
03:10 Foreman wrote that the movie is exposition-heavy, and not much scarier than past installments,
03:15 but overall seemed to have a positive opinion of the movie.
03:18 MovieMarker writer Dmitri Kraus seemed to be of the same mind as Zilberman, as he tweeted
03:22 that The Nun 2 is a total blast — "spooky, surprisingly gnarly, and delightfully self-aware."
03:28 Kraus complimented the film's apparent references to Italian horror films, concluding,
03:33 "Screenwriter Akela Cooper brings much of that malignant energy to The Conjuring Universe,
03:38 and I can't help but admire the commitment to the bit."
03:40 Gabriel fans, that's your cue to get to the movies.
03:43 Stat!
03:43 "Ahh!"
03:44 "Ahh!"
03:45 "Ahh!"
03:46 "Ahh!"
03:47 "Ahh!"
03:48 "Ahh!"
03:49 "Ahh!"
03:50 "Ahh!"
03:51 "Ahh!"
03:52 "Ahh!"
03:53 "Ahh!"
03:54 While critics are mixed in the film so far, fans seem pretty into it.
03:55 Former Love Island Australia contestant Rachel Evron shared photos from an Australian event
03:59 for the film, tweeting that The Nun 2 is what the original Nun movie should have been.
04:03 While Evron said she has some questions in regards to its continuity and storyline aspects,
04:08 she called the movie "terrifying."
04:10 Though Evron says the movie isn't perfect, she says she dug the inventive jump scares,
04:15 great suspense building, and great horror aspects.
04:18 A Twitter user going by @CapeofInfinity echoed similar sentiments about the film's scariness,
04:23 posting,
04:24 "The Nun 2 was alright.
04:26 Better story than the first but overall felt rushed.
04:29 Some scenes were terrifying with jump scares but that is it."
04:32 The user also noted that no Conjuring-verse movie has been able to top the original in
04:36 terms of quality, something many of us can agree on.
04:39 "How'd it go?"
04:41 "I think you may write a positive article."
04:43 "Ooo a non-skeptic.
04:44 That's a pleasant change."
04:47 Love it or hate it, The Nun 2 is in theaters September 8, 2023.
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