One Of The Scariest Scenes In The Nun Sees A Monster In The Mirror
(Welcome to Scariest Scene Ever, a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror with your tour guides, horror experts Chris Evangelista and Matt Donato. In this edition, Matt gets back in the habit with "The Nun.")
I'm probably in the minority here, but I'll take "The Nun" over "The Nun II" any day. Corin Hardy's 2018 Conjuring Universe spinoff starring Valak as the franchise's popular demon of the cloth was the first entry that felt like it wasn't trying to imitate James Wan's style. Notes of gothic vibes and Hammer horror imbued a sense of individuality into "The Nun," which eventually became one of the Conjuring Universe's most financially successful films despite poor reception from critics and audiences alike. There are dozens of us who appreciate "The Nun" and will champion its misunderstood glory, one "Scariest Scene Ever" article at a time.
With "The Nun II" haunting its way into theaters this week, I thought it'd be appropriate to shout out my favorite scare from "The Nun." Granted, it's a bit more B-movie-cheesy than other Conjuring entries — but that doesn't mean Hardy forgoes what horror fans crave. There are some chilling jumps throughout, but my favorite dabbles with shadows and reflections in a way that subverts an expected setup. Come, let's worship the altar of Valak in this week's entry.
The setup
"The Nun" is an origin story for Valak, most recognizable in the magnificently terrifying form of an undead woman devoted to God. We transport to 1950s Romania, where an unseen evil force has marked Saint Cartha's monastery. Two nuns lose their lives to the evil entity that physically appears as one of their own, which raises eyebrows at the Vatican. Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and a nun in her novitiate, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), are sent to investigate the situation, which gives us our earliest glimpses of Valak's mercilessness.
The story so far
Upon their arrival in Romania, Father Burke and Sister Irene meet Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet), a villager who transports supplies to the nuns. He leads them to the abbey where Father Burke and Sister Irene begin their investigation. Within the holy walls, they only find distress, as they learn how the nuns pray nightly to keep their villain entity at bay as best they can. Frenchie, Father Burke, Sister Irene, and others are all attacked at different times by what we learn to be Valak, as the demon proves stronger than some recited biblical passages. Sister Irene's encounter one night when she's alone is a right proper thrill, making Valak's presence known with banshee-shrieking ferocity.
The scene
Sister Irene cautiously enters a chamber where hooded nuns whisper their passages, all looking downward, no faces visible. The camera pans from Sister Irene's surprised face to the back of her head, so we can see she's looking at a massive crucifix on the altar where a priest would lead mass. As she looks at Jesus' corpse nailed to a wooden cross, a shadow rises behind the statue, until it towers over the decorative son of God. If the thing had eyes, it'd be staring directly at Sister Irene.
The shadow turns and starts walking along the abbey's cold, stony walls — no human figure in sight. Sister Irene watches as the outline strolls over sculpted angels and past the pews, with a figure resembling a nun's slow procession march. The shadow keeps moving, then disappears in the pitch-blackness of open entryways in the dead of night — only to reappear in a mirror with Sister Irene.
As she watches the figure walk into the mirrored glass, it stops in a spot that should be right behind Sister Irene. The camera swings around, as does Sister Irene, hoping to catch whatever has made its presence known. Of course, there's nothing. The mirror is now out of sight and to our backs — the miniature cathedral is now empty. A red light shines behind the crucifix that catches Sister Irene's eye, and that's when it happens.
A hand reaches out and grabs Sister Irene's shoulder, and the camera immediately reveals that "The Nun" and other ghostly minions are in the mirror itself, screaming back at the terrified sister. A demonic howl overpowers any music or sound effects, and then the mirror bursts into tiny shards. Sister Irene panics, and the crucifix falls in a clatter. Valak is toying with Sister Irene, using shadowplay to confidently assert its hold over the Vatican agent. It's a proper slow burn that kicks its jump scare at the perfect moment, leading viewers into an evident and effective trap.
The impact (Chris' Take)
Man, I really wish I liked "The Nun." I'm a fan of the Conjuring Universe, especially the main entries featuring the Warrens. And as a kid who grew up Catholic (I believe in nothing now, by the way, it's all a hopeless void!), I love me some religious horror. But "The Nun" is so ... lifeless? It's a film that takes itself way too seriously; where's the fun? That said, the scene Matt highlights is plenty effective, mostly with how it slowly toys with the viewer. You can sense that some sort of jump scare is coming, but you can't really predict how it will play out, and that's part of the charm. I haven't seen "The Nun II" yet, but I'm willing to give it a try, and hope that it's an improvement over the disappointing first film.