Review: ‘The Nun’ disappoints ‘The Conjuring’ fans

Simple horror film of the year doesn’t capture audience attention

Courtesy+of+Warner+Bros.+Pictures.

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

The latest horror movie directed by Corin Hardy creates a religious demise plot as the evil spirit dresses up as a nun and makes the audience question if the churches are truly holy. “The Nun” was released in theaters on Friday, Sept. 7 with high hopes of it being the best horror film of 2018 and a great prequel to “The Conjuring” series. After making $53.5 million in the first weekend, “The Conjuring” series is now the largest R-rated horror franchise. The R rating is primarily because of language and gory images throughout the film.

The movie starts with the suicide of a young nun in the Church of Abbey in Romania; following this, the church investigates why a nun would commit suicide and go against church morals. Father Burke (Demian Bichir), who is accustomed to paranormal activities, and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a nun in training who can see visions of paranormal activity, are sent to investigate the suicide. When they are in the village, they encounter a man by the name of Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet) who strongly believes there’s an evil being living in the Church of Abbey. He becomes their guide and a strong sidekick when facing the evil in the church.

The film follows the normal plot of a horror movie with a dark past similar to the “Annabelle: Creation.” The opening scene of the young nun committing suicide makes the audience have great anticipation for what follows next in the film, but unfortunately the rest of the movie doesn’t meet the expectation.

One of the most obvious and old horror movie plots has to be when The Nun (Bonnie Aarons) follows the main character, Sister Irene, through the halls and the basement. She is followed for more than half of the movie without her knowing anything paranormal is happening around her other than the corridor being dark.

The creative sound effects throughout the film add to the overall viewing experience. The sound made by Sister Irene when she spits at The Nun is one of the most startling moments during an already intense scene. The music played throughout the film creates a melancholy atmosphere.

The acting in “The Nun” was not terrible; it was surprisingly good compared to the plain and simple storyboard of the movie. The audience is reminded repeatedly that it is not just the villagers who are fearful of The Nun; the other sisters at the Church of Abbey are also fearful. The actor who captivates everyone in this film is Frenchie with his humorous fear and doubt as it is a funny and lively part of the film.

As “The Nun” was a simple and dull film that doesn’t easily capture the audience’s attention, it deserves 4 out of 10 stars because of the creative sound effects that promote the idea of being in a Catholic church.