2023-09-20 07:59:24
Current cinema has a problem with saturation and wear and tear of its formulas and franchises. Sequels, spin offs and shared universes have existed in cinema, at least since the horror cycle of the Universal from the 30s and 40s of the last century; However, the need to turn every cinematic success into a franchise with a multitude of characters that come together and create a joint narrative throughout countless films is already (excuse me) burdensome. And we are not talking about those that failed from the beginning. As Harvey Dent said in The dark knight: “Either you die a hero or you live long enough to become a villain.” The greatest hits are extended and extended into new installments, one after another, ad nauseam, not only generating bad films, without an iota of creativity and boxed in a predetermined narrative, but also, they end up having a retroactive effect, generating disaffection for the original titles that we had liked at the time.
GOD CATCH US CONFESSED
When James Wan premiere Warren expedient in 2013, marked a fresh and attractive return to a type of horror based on suggestion, atmosphere and suspense with echoes of the cinema of the 60s and 70s. The appearance of a series of supernatural creatures (originally the Annabelle doll) that They were not the center of the main plot, but they left the viewer’s palate with the desire to delve deeper into that complement that gave rise to the franchise, where we have not only had the continuity of the cases of the Warren marriage, but also specific spin offs of these other characters, usually in prequel format before the arrival of the couple of experts in paranormal phenomena. The problem is that, although the basic idea may be attractive, the execution has been very disappointing, adding a series of films that seem more like filler and gratuitous addition, than truly necessary plots that contribute something to the mother franchise. .
The Nun made its first appearance tangentially in Warren expedient. The Enfield Case and from there he jumped directly to his own spin off in 2018. Unlike Annabelle or other entities that roam the franchise, here we are talking about an original creation of the scriptwriters and that is not inspired by any real element, whether or not linked to the Warrens before their appearance in the series. Played at all times by the actress Bonnie Aarons, strengthens the franchise’s ties with Catholic mythology and the sinister component that the symbols of the Church itself have. In this sense, by way of character design and screen presence, Aarons’ characterization and performance is great. The Nun II, by Michael Chaves.
HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS
This second installment maintains a close relationship with the first part, especially due to the continuity of three main characters, the demon nun, the nun Irene (played by Taissa Farmiga) y Maurice (Jonas Block). On this occasion, we find two main plots that come together, one about the effects of the Demon Nun in a female boarding school where the character of Maurice is; and the other, Irene’s investigations to try to discover what the demon is up to this time and find out how to defeat him again.
The setting is once again one of the most prominent elements in the film. The obscurantist photography, the art design playing with the terrifying Christian symbolism and the semi-ruined state of the old buildings where the action takes place create an atmosphere suitable for the plot. The work of the actors is correct, with special merit for Taissa Farmiga, who manages to give a greater projection to his character than, a priori, the script provided. It is true that many of the characters do not go beyond the stereotype and that their dramatic contribution to the film is basically to serve as bait (what’s the point of making a horror film where no one dies?).
FOR WHAT IS LEFT IN THIS CONVENT…
Unfortunately, the plot is quite leaden, lacking interest or unable to give greater weight to aspects that could have been much more attractive. On the other hand, the staging of Michael Chaves It doesn’t help either. Chaves It seems that he has become the trusted man of Wan in this franchise after The Llorona y Warren File: Forced by the Devil. Although in the second the results were more positive, now, with this third chapter in charge, we can say that we are faced with an irregular director, tending to overload the tension of the scenes, without a sense of dramatic progression.
The non-scary sequences are already saturated, warning the viewer of the threat, although it still takes a while to appear. This means that when the moment of terror arrives, the effect on the viewer has already been diluted. He wants the photography, the sound, the music, the scenery, the actors, all to be making it clear to the audience that they are in a horror movie. Chaves It uses everything, at the same time, everywhere, in the same unequivocal sense and ends up bursting the narrative, which cancels itself. To add insult to injury, the film pulls a goat demon out of its sleeve in a forced and unintentional manner, suggesting a lack of confidence in the terrifying ability of its own protagonist.
The Nun 2without being the worst film in the franchise (the first installment of Annabelle), cannot avoid the feeling of wear and tear, gratuitousness and disinterest of its authors, where they seem to prioritize continuing adding installments to the franchise, like an assembly line, over having a story to tell and a director who knows how to handle the ropes of horror . The Nun II, by Michael Chaves. (c) Warner Bros. Pictures