#TheNun: Three cliche elements which made this horror movie boring
The fifth movie of Conjuring universe was supposed to scare us and give nightmares, but it was far from it. The film, which released on September 7 and explored the origin story of Valak, the fear-striking nun that haunted the franchise, was full of cliches. It could have been a treat for horror lovers but was a jump scare ridden film. We are disappointed.
Plot: In the heart of Romania, lurks an unspeakable evil
An abbey in Romania is haunted by a malevolent evil force. After a nun commits suicide, the Vatican gets involved. A veteran priest and a young novitiate investigate with the help of Frenchie, a local. Soon, they uncover the horrific truth hidden in the church.
Good things first: The heart of Dracula country was scary
The best part of the film was the Gothic tropes invoked by the atmosphere surrounding the abbey. In the dark Romanian woods, an unspeakable evil lurks behind the holy walls of an abbey. The abbey's isolation and the desolate landscape created an aura of horror. Coupled with the depiction of blood, ravens and multiple graveyard scenes, the film got its Gothic elements just right.
A little tidbit for hardcore Gothic horror fans
For the truly discerning Gothic horror fans, the theme of evil hiding in a holy ground and the perversion of religion in the process would come across as a homage to one of the greatest works of Gothic fiction - The Monk by Matthew Lewis.
Now the problems: Character stereotypes, and hints of classy acting
However, the praise stops here. Demian Bichir who plays Father Burke was a letdown. His usual stoicism suits the film's content, but he fails to emote. His associate, Irene, is played by Taissa Farmiga, Vera Farmiga's sister. She is a revelation amidst a ton of mediocre acting and predictable characters. Jonas Bloquet plays Frenchie, the cliche comic character that alleviates horror.
Too much predictability: Horror, anxiety and the supernatural 'other'
Anxiety is directly proportional to the proximity with the 'other'. The closer we get to something unknown, the more anxious we grow. All horror movies apply this by gradually introducing the supernatural 'other'. Remember how the evil presence grew in 'The Conjuring'? However, here we know it's Valak from the beginning. This makes it more of a supernatural investigation than a horror movie.
A refreshing set of visuals, but boring techniques of horror
Despite the script's fatal flaw, which we have established, the camerawork is almost a saving grace. A couple of shots are visually refreshing. Most notable are the graveyard scenes where the camera spins uncontrollably, mimicking the character's confusion and terror. However, when it comes to jump scares which built the franchise, the camerawork fails. Most of the scenes are pretty predictable.
The cash cow franchise and a beautiful tie-in
That said, even with the shortcomings, 'The Nun' will still be a cash cow due to the beautiful tie-in with the 'Conjuring' franchise. It turns out Frenchie is Maurice Theriault, the possessed farmer whose case was handled by Ed and Lorraine Warren. To refresh your memory, the Warrens presented this case of demonic possession in a lecture. It was attended by Caroline Perron, in 'The Conjuring'.
Where will the franchise take us next?
With the franchise taking shape, another connection jumps out at us. The similarities between Lorraine and Irene are uncanny. The conscious physical resemblance, similarity in names, coupled with the fact that both characters have the gift of 'vision', could hint at a deeper connection. Could Irene have changed her name and profession to become Lorraine, only to face Valak again in 'The Conjuring 2'?
