The Nun II is the direct sequel to 2018’s The Nun, a part of the Conjuring Universe of movies that also includes The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Curse of La Llarona, and more. The latest film is directed by Michael Chaves who also directed 2019’s The Curse of La Llarona and 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. It stars Bonnie Aarons, Taissa Farmiga, and Jonas Bloquet who return from the first film, as well as Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, and Katelyn Rose Downey.

Taking place four years after the first film, Valak, the demon-possessed nun portrayed by Bonnie Aarons, is believed to still be looming. Priests, pastors, and nuns across Europe have been found mysteriously dead and, Sister Irene, played by Taissa Farmiga, who managed to defeat the demonic force four years earlier, is sent to France with Sister Debra, portrayed by Storm Reid, where Valak is believed to be. Maurice, played by Jonas Bloquet, who saved Sister Irene from Valak previously, is now working at an all-girls boarding school in France as a gardener and general maintenance, and is just trying to live a simple life after that hellish event back in Romania.

He has a close friendship with one of the students, Sophie, brought to life by Katelyn Rose Downey, whose mother, Kate, played by Anna Popplewell, is also a teacher at the school, who grows fond of Maurice. Unfortunately, Maurice still feels the demon’s presence and isn’t sure if they’re hallucinations or not.

He occasionally has moments where he blacks out and wakes up somewhere else, not knowing anything he may have done during that time. It gets worse and worse as time goes on, especially with people dying around him and mysterious deaths causing panic around the school.

The original movie from 2018 was critically panned, with the main complaint being that it relied too much on jump scares, was predictable, bland, and overall, forgets what it takes to be a horror movie. With the low expectations set by its predecessor, The Nun II aims to right the wrongs and it absolutely delivers. Bonnie Aarons’ performance as the evil Nun was of course the biggest highlight of the first film, and now she’s back with a vengeance and scarier than ever.

There are still moments leading to predictable jump scares, but the creativity behind each one is what really lives up to the horror aspect and builds up that fear in not just the characters, but also the audience, leaving them on the edge of their seats and anticipating what happens next. The sequel does Valak justice and makes her a horror character to be remembered and feared more than ever.

The performance of the rest of the cast also adds so much to the movie. You can really feel their genuine fear, whether they’re face-to-face with the demonic force, or even just exploring rooms. Jonas Bloquet’s performance as Maurice is also a big highlight because he no longer has full control of himself. He cares deeply for those around him, especially Sophie and Kate, and is afraid they may get hurt if he has another blackout moment.

He played more of a hero role in the original film, and the sequel gives him an opportunity to show different sides of his acting talents. He goes from a kind, gentle, and humble gardener, to losing control of himself and being confused and afraid not knowing what’s going on.

Taissa Farmiga reprising her role as Sister Irene also shows a lot of character development since the first film. Even with prior experience of taking on the demonic force, she’s still shaken up and even more afraid to potentially face the demon again but will do whatever it takes to finally vanquish evil. It’s also interesting to note that her real-life sister, Vera Farmiga, stars as Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring movies set in the same universe.

Even though the time periods between The Nun and The Conjuring are several years apart, it does make for some interesting speculation that Sister Irene and Lorraine Warren could be distant relatives, which creates intrigue for future films set in the Conjuring Universe.

Katelyn Rose Downey performance as Sophie makes it really easy for audiences to sympathise for her. She’s incredibly polite and one of the nicest kids in the school, but is often bullied by the other girls because of it.

Things get more intense when she gets mixed up with Valak terrorising the school, with audiences not only being afraid of the demon but also for Sophie’s life. Anna Popplewell as Kate also does an incredible job as a devoted mother, risking her life not only for her daughter Sophie but also for all the other students as well who are all in great distress with everything going on.

The genuine fear with the entire cast feels incredibly authentic, and the audience will experience it too. The creepy and haunting music perfectly matches the horrific moments on screen, adding so much, and the dark and grim atmosphere throughout most of the film really compliments the movie about a demon-possessed nun made of pure evil. All the set pieces, such as the buildings, rooms, fashion, and cars really help to bring audiences to the 1950s setting. Even scenes during the daytime feel uneasy and have the presence of evil looming around.

Given how unsuccessful the original movie was, things didn’t look promising, and expectations were low for the follow-up film. The Nun II doesn’t just forgive the sins of the first movie, it also exceeds expectations and shows how a true horror movie is done. Valak is not a nun to be taken lightly and will strike fear in anyone she encounters.

To anyone who dares to oppose her, she’ll be having nun of it. Anyone religious may want to steer clear of this horror flick, but for those who are craving a film that helps define the horror genre and aren’t afraid to be scared to death, The Nun II absolutely delivers. It’s one of the few sequels that greatly surpasses the first film, and it makes things even more interesting for future movies set in the Conjuring Universe.

Written by: Sammy Hanson