Prepare Yourself for THE NUN

Jeri Jacquin

In theatres from director Corin Hardy along with writers Gary Dauberman, James Wan and Warner Bros. comes the beginning of it all with THE NUN.

It is 1952 and the Vatican has asked Father Burke (Demian Bichir) to go to the Carta Monastery in Romania to discover why a young nun has thrown herself out of a window. Joining Father Burke is the young novitiate Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) who needs to help with the Abbess of the cloistered abbey.

Meeting the duo is Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet) who made deliveries to the monastery and found the young nun dead. Immediately it is clear that there is something dark and unholy taking over the abbey. Father Burke meets the Abbess only to learn that he can not be there after sundown but assures him he will find the answers he seeks.

Sister Irene meets other sisters and learns that there is a history that lives deep in the walls and floors of the abbey. The castle builder summoned an entity that was eventually sealed by a Vatican artifact that is missing. The ground was opened again by the bombs of war and the entity Valak has taken up residence inside The Nun (Bonnie Aarons).

A battle is inevitable as the Father, Sister Irene and Frenchie take on the entity that wants to destroy them all. It is a fight for their souls and for those that will follow from that fight on.

Bichir as Father Burke doesn’t miss a beat when taking on the assignment to go to Romania. Still dealing with his own personal battle of a previous exorcism, it does not deter Bichir’s character from discovering the truth that lay in the bricks of the abbey. I am a fan of Bichir and love that he took on his role cementing himself as part of THE CONJURING universe.

Farmiga as Sister Irene is a young woman who is waiting to take her final vows. I have to admit that this character has nerves of steel and even when things get a little spooky, she keeps it together and soldiers through to keep evil at bay. It is a tad unnerving to see the younger Farmiga when I am so use to see her sister Vera in THE CONJURING stories but wow, how perfect a fit she is.

Bloquet as Frenchie knows that there is something at the abbey and although hesitant, finds himself involved in helping the Vatican sent duo. His role is one that will be brought up connecting THE NUN with first CONJURING.

Aarons as THE NUN gets a shout out from me mainly because she actually made me shout out in the theatre! I love a good jump, love an even bigger scream followed by a chair jump.

Other cast include Ingrid Bisu as Sister Oana, Charlotte Hope as Sister Victoria, Sandra Teles as Sister Ruth, August Maturo as Daniel,Ani Sava as Sister Jessica, Michael Smiley as Bishop Pasquale, David Horovitch as Cardinal Conroy and Lynnette Gaza as Mother Superior.

This all started in 2013 with THE CONJURING and I have been hooked ever since. As much as people love slasher films, I am not really a huge fan. I don’t need smack-in-your-face bloody horror to make me jump so I was (and still am) thrilled when the first film came out.

Instead, director Wan brings back the feeling of the ‘scary movie’ by using music, shadows, and the scare we bring to ourselves. Each of the films brought the best of jumping in the seat with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson and director Hardy brings it around full circle with Birchir and sister Taissa Farmiga.

There is enough action, scare and mystery built into the story with a dark castle with enough hiding places to keep you on edge. The cinematography is very cool keeping the audience in the dark where all good creepy things come from.

So conjure up your friends because there is a monastery in Romania that has an entity for you to meet.

In the end – pray for forgiveness!