I had low expectations for this, especially since I had just walked out of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3" which was a total bore. But The Nun II surprised me. The story was genuinely gripping, and the movie sent shivers down my spine at times. Sure, it had some clichés, but it was executed well. Considering how saturated the horror genre is, specifically surrounding nuns and demons, it's tough to imagine what new tricks they could pull off here. While it didn't reinvent the wheel, it somehow managed to feel refreshingly eerie. I appreciated the dropped hints throughout the film, and they all came together beautifully in the third act, making it feel like a well-thought-out, cohesive story.
There were a good number of jump scares, but they weren't haphazardly thrown in. I loved that the movie didn't rely solely on jump scares for its horror. Instead, it had entire sequences that had me on the edge of my seat, particularly in the third act, rather than just quick, cheap scares. The pacing was spot on throughout, and some of the scene transitions were masterfully done.
The cast delivered solid performances. The characters felt well-crafted, and their chemistry and connection felt real. The actors skillfully conveyed the emotional depth of the movie. Horror films often prioritize jump scares and building an eerie atmosphere, so it was nice to see a strong emotional element here. I particularly appreciated that they didn't force the romantic subplot, even though the chemistry was evident. Taissa Farmiga delivered a stellar performance, but she wasn't carrying the movie on her own; the rest of the cast held their own and delivered decent performances too.
My main gripe with the movie is that it still didn't explicitly explain Valek's origins, leaving it more as a theory. I did enjoy the introduction of another monster, the goat, which I found scarier than Valek himself. Valek's overexposure in the film, with one too many close-up scenes, made him lose some of his initial fright factor, becoming more familiar, less terrifying. Valek wasn't as scary by the third act because of this. But, again, that goat stole the show for me man. It was an incredibly terrifyying creature, especially to be chased by. What didn't sit well with me though was how easily the characters could thwart demonic elements by simply closing a door behind them. These are my criticisms: too many close-ups of Valek's face and demons being stopped too conveniently by closing doors.
I haven't enjoyed a horror film purely for its horror in a while, so I'm a bit sad to hear some didn't share my love. Personally, I believe it's a significant improvement over its predecessor and a genuinely frightening addition to the horror genre. It stands well on its own and also fits seamlessly into the Conjuring franchise. And stay for the end credits; loved how fiendish and eerie they were; plus there's a credits scene that's more just a set up the next installment in the franchise. Probably a Conjuring movie, not Nun iii. I think The Nun definitely deserves another movie to round up a trilogy.
There were a good number of jump scares, but they weren't haphazardly thrown in. I loved that the movie didn't rely solely on jump scares for its horror. Instead, it had entire sequences that had me on the edge of my seat, particularly in the third act, rather than just quick, cheap scares. The pacing was spot on throughout, and some of the scene transitions were masterfully done.
The cast delivered solid performances. The characters felt well-crafted, and their chemistry and connection felt real. The actors skillfully conveyed the emotional depth of the movie. Horror films often prioritize jump scares and building an eerie atmosphere, so it was nice to see a strong emotional element here. I particularly appreciated that they didn't force the romantic subplot, even though the chemistry was evident. Taissa Farmiga delivered a stellar performance, but she wasn't carrying the movie on her own; the rest of the cast held their own and delivered decent performances too.
My main gripe with the movie is that it still didn't explicitly explain Valek's origins, leaving it more as a theory. I did enjoy the introduction of another monster, the goat, which I found scarier than Valek himself. Valek's overexposure in the film, with one too many close-up scenes, made him lose some of his initial fright factor, becoming more familiar, less terrifying. Valek wasn't as scary by the third act because of this. But, again, that goat stole the show for me man. It was an incredibly terrifyying creature, especially to be chased by. What didn't sit well with me though was how easily the characters could thwart demonic elements by simply closing a door behind them. These are my criticisms: too many close-ups of Valek's face and demons being stopped too conveniently by closing doors.
I haven't enjoyed a horror film purely for its horror in a while, so I'm a bit sad to hear some didn't share my love. Personally, I believe it's a significant improvement over its predecessor and a genuinely frightening addition to the horror genre. It stands well on its own and also fits seamlessly into the Conjuring franchise. And stay for the end credits; loved how fiendish and eerie they were; plus there's a credits scene that's more just a set up the next installment in the franchise. Probably a Conjuring movie, not Nun iii. I think The Nun definitely deserves another movie to round up a trilogy.