Movie Reviews

The Nun – Blu-ray Movie Review

A priest and a young nun investigate a grisly suicide at a remote abbey in Romania. What they unleash is beyond their imagination.

Synopsis

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When a nun commits suicide at a remote abbey in Romania, the Vatican sends a priest and a young nun to investigate. When they arrive, a local man tells them of an evil that lurks at the abbey. He takes them to the remote location where they have difficulty speaking to the nuns about the situation. Soon, they discover the abbey’s true purpose and are caught up in the grand plans of an ancient evil entity fighting to get free. To stop it, they must find a sacred relic and cast the demon back into hell.

Specifications

Warner Brothers
2018, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 36 mins
Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet
Directed by: Corin Hardy

Rating

Entertainment:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Violence: Yes
Sex: No
Language: No

Commentary

Fans of The Conjuring franchise will certainly enjoy this prequel that takes place in 1952. It captures all the elements of the classic possession horror flick and executes them extremely well. Boo moments are aplenty and if you watch the film in the dark as I did, it’s better not to hold a drink in your hand. The location shots, sets, and sound design all mix perfectly to create a creepy mood that permeates the entire movie. The audience doesn’t get a break with humor or even a single moment when the main characters aren’t in some sort of danger. The evil is represented by various forms that are all gruesome without resorting to over-the-top gore. There is violence, but it isn’t just gore for gore’s sake. Director Corin Hardy strikes a perfect balance to create a scary experience for all.

Technical

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The picture is as dark and murky as the material it portrays. Many shadow details descend into the mist and distant objects sometimes become soft. Color is cold and grey throughout with bright highlights like the nun’s white habits. The red shade used for blood almost becomes black at times in the subdued lighting.

Audio is the star of this release. The mix is Dolby Atmos but I watched it using the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. Surround effects are truly epic, and I jumped several times when sounds came from the sides and behind. The LFE track plumbs the depths and will rattle the windows if your sub is beefy enough. Mine plays flat to 13Hz and it bottomed out several times.

Extras

Bonus features total about 30 minutes and include a timeline of The Conjuring series, behind-the-scenes footage of several location shots, and a short documentary about the practical effects used in the film. You also get deleted scenes and trailers for other Warner Brothers films.

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.