The Nun 2 Establishes Bonnie Aarons As Our Next Great Horror Movie Monster Actor
"The Conjuring 2" opens with Ed and Lorraine Warren investigating the infamous Amityville house at 112 Ocean Avenue to determine whether or not a demonic presence caused Ronald DeFeo Jr. to commit familial annihilation and the subsequent supernatural events that plagued the Lutz family after they moved into the home. The couple holds a seance and Lorraine is thrust into a terrifying vision where she encounters a demonic nun.
The Nun appears multiple times throughout the film, until Lorraine rightfully addresses it as Valak, a shape-shifting demon, and condemns it back from which it came. James Wan didn't intend for Valak to be such a major player in The Conjuring Universe — honestly, "The Conjuring" was never supposed to spawn a cinematic universe but the fans demanded it — and didn't originally intend for the demon to take the shape of a nun. But The Nun, portrayed by Bonnie Aarons, was so scary that a solo spin-off film was greenlit almost immediately.
Ed and Lorraine Warren are undoubtedly the heroes of The Conjuring Universe, and the central goal of the films is to see how these paranormal investigators are going to combat the forces of evil. We want to see them battle ghosts, cursed dolls, and demonic entities in the same way audiences cheer when Laurie Strode in the "Halloween" series defeats Michael Myers again and again. That said, horror fans also love to watch Jason Voorhees hack up teens, looking forward to the new and inventive ways he terrorizes his targets. In The Conjuring Universe, Bonnie Aarons as The Nun fulfills this role. As much as we care about Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), Maurice "Frenchie" Theriault (Jonas Bloquet), and now Sister Debra (Storm Reid), we also tune into "The Nun" films to watch Bonnie Aarons scare the absolute hell out us.
Giving Bonnie Aarons her flowers
Bonnie Aarons has been acting for decades, long before she ever donned the habit as The Nun. She made her screen debut in the sex comedy "Exit to Eden" and has been nabbing character actor roles ever since. I'll never forgive "Shallow Hal" for trying to pretend like she's one of the "ugly" versions of the women Jack Black interacts with, especially because that film debuted the same year as "The Princess Diaries" where she plays the super hot and mean Baroness Joy von Troken. Horror fans are likely also familiar with Aarons as The Bum in "Mulholland Drive," which was released that same year. More recently, she's had fantastic roles like The Master in "Jakob's Wife," and the horror landscape has embraced her with open arms.
Aarons has a very distinct look, so much so that she was told early on in her career that she'd never get work because of it. I hope whoever told her that is having the day they deserve (a bad one) because no matter what role she plays, Bonnie Aarons is consistently captivating on screen. She has an innate control of her face and body, manipulating her features to ensure that whatever emotion she's trying to convey is unmistakable. The personality she brings to The Nun is reminiscent of Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger or Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Clown, and she does so without any clever one-liners or sweeping monologues. With just a curled lip smile or a penetrating stare, Aarons inspires horror and has audiences feeling compelled to sleep with the lights on. "The Nun II" is even scarier than the first, because Aarons has Valek down to a science. Even if you take away the wailing score of Marco Beltrami, her presence on screen is still just as haunting.
The Nun succeeds because of Bonnie Aarons
Bonnie Aarons is currently suing Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and Scope Productions for breach of contract, citing a clause that ensured her a "pro-rata share" on all merchandising featuring her likeness. The Nun has become one of the most recognizable movie monsters in recent years, and Aarons' distinctive facial features have most certainly been a part of that. Here's hoping that the suit is settled quickly and that Aarons is appropriately compensated. Because the thing is, the character of The Nun is only as effective and terrifying as she is because of Aarons' performance. In the same sense that Joseph Bishara is The Lipstick-Face Demon in the "Insidious" films and Doug Jones is The Pale Man in "Pan's Labyrinth," Bonnie Aarons is The Nun.
"The Nun II" features scenes where Sister Irene is surrounded by a group of faceless nuns, and while the imagery is effectively creepy, they don't bring the unbridled horror like Bonnie Aarons. Even in moments where Valak as The Nun is depicted in drawings, shadows, and paintings, Aarons' soul-piercing gaze makes it impossible to look away from her. It's almost as if she enchants the audience, lulling us in with her striking beauty before reminding us what a nightmare the Nun truly is. "The Nun II" also features Valak in other forms, including an undead headmistress, in addition to what is presumed to be the Devil himself in goat form. And as scary as they were, I kept thinking to myself, "Okay this is cool, but where's The Nun?" It seems as if The Conjuring Universe isn't stopping anytime soon, and if the creatives behind the franchise are wise, they'll make sure that the Nun takes her rightful place as the biggest baddie for the property's final film.
Ed and Lorraine Warren may be the heart of The Conjuring Universe, but Bonnie Aarons' nun-shaped Valak is the blood. Without her, the franchise is without a pulse.