“The Nun” (R)
“The Conjuring” Universe makes it five-for-five in the winner’s circle with “The Nun,” a top-notch horror thriller and excellent kickoff to the fall movie season. Like its scary predecessors, “The Nun” successfully continues to build a connected universe of horror films rooted in the true-life case studies of famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, all while establishing its own unique identity.
In this case, the story of “The Nun” is set in the 1950s, yet its Romanian backdrop gives the film a Gothic atmosphere and tone of dread bubbling underneath the surface that conjures up the greatness of the Hammer Horror films from the 1960s.
Interview flashback: Patrick Wilson talks ‘The Conjuring’
The said title character in “The Nun” made her unforgettable debut in the form of a ghoulish “Night Gallery”-like painting in “The Conjuring 2” in 2016, where the demon spirit appears to haunt the Warren family. The indelible supporting character made such an enormous impact that producer James Wan brought director Corin Hardy and scribe Gary Dauberman (“Annabelle,” “Annabelle: Creation” and “It”) on-board to flesh out a back story, set in a remote Romanian abbey where the mysterious suicide of a young nun has attracted the attention of the Vatican.
Summoned by Vatican officials to investigate the death, Father Burke (Demian Bichir) and a novitiate, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) soon find out that evil spirit Valak (Bonnie Aarons) is lurking in the cloistered abbey, and the two have nothing more than their faith to protect themselves from the entity, which has manifested itself in the shape of a nun.
“The Nun” is terrific from the get-go, as Hardy establishes a foreboding tone that escalates in tension broken up only jump scares and welcome bits of comic relief. It’s the marriage of those moments in the film that contributes to the complete theatrical experience, and as a result its a blast to watch audience members jump, laugh or shriek in unison during the films scariest and/or funniest moments.
Best of all, though, Dauberman slyly implements a plot turn that ties “The Nun” into the first “Conjuring,” which brings the tale of “The Nun” full-circle. Of course, since “Annabelle: Creation” showed that we can get back stories to other back stories of characters, hopefully the continued success of “The Conjuring” Universe will allow for yet another tale of “The Nun” — and it can’t come soon enough.
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
Copyright 2018 DirectConversations.com
