Four years after Valak the Defiler was seemingly sealed away in a remote Romanian abbey, the demon in a nun’s habit proves that evil habits die hard. La monja II , directed by Michael Chaves ( The Curse of La Llorona ), expands the Conjuring universe with a globetrotting, Vatican-blessed nightmare that doubles down on religious horror, jump scares, and connective tissue to the main franchise.
Where does La Monja II rank among the nine films in the franchise? Most fans and critics agree it sits comfortably in the middle tier—above The Nun and La Llorona , but below The Conjuring 2 .
Together, they travel to France, following a trail of clues tied to Saint Lucy's legend. The narrative cleverly parallels the blindness of the saint with the metaphorical blindness of the characters to the evil lurking in plain sight. La monja II
Sister Irene realizes that Valak does not just want the eyes for power; it wants to destroy them so that "light will never pierce the dark again." The climax involves Irene using her own blood to activate the relic, leading to a visual feast of blinding white light and shadow. It is a baptism by fire for her character.
We cut to 1971, at the home of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in archival footage or stand-ins). Lorraine wakes from a nightmare. She tells Ed, "He's found her." The scene then shows a young girl's bedroom—a familiar "Annabelle" doll sits in a rocking chair. The nun's habit is draped over the back of the chair. Lorraine whispers: "The demon remembers Irene. And it knows where she lives now." Four years after Valak the Defiler was seemingly
shifts from the "Blood of Christ" used in the first film to the Eyes of Saint Lucy The Mythos Saint Lucy
Reviews for La monja II have been mixed-positive. Critics praise its visual ambition (cinematographer Tristan Nyby bathes the French countryside in a sickly autumn pallor) and the performance of Farmiga, but some argue the plot over-relies on CGI jumps and familiar exorcism tropes. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 52% critic score but an 84% audience rating — a clear sign that the faithful (horror faithful, that is) appreciate its gothic excess. Most fans and critics agree it sits comfortably
La monja II is not a reinvention of the demonic possession film, but it is a superior sequel to its predecessor. It understands that Valak is scariest not in darkness, but in sacred spaces — a church confessional, a convent dining hall, a school’s prayer corner. It delivers the jump scares, lore expansions, and holy-water-soaked climax that Conjuring fans demand. Sister Irene may have won this battle, but as the post-credits scene teases: Valak has already found a new family in Connecticut.
La Monja II is not a masterpiece of cinema, but it is a masterclass in franchise horror. It understands that the scariest monsters are the ones that challenge our faith—not just in God, but in the concept of safety. By moving the action to a French boarding school and introducing Saint Lucy’s tragic history, the filmmakers injected fresh blood into a series that was beginning to calcify.
Frenchie is freed, but the trauma remains. The film ends with Irene accepting her calling as a full-fledged exorcist nun, no longer doubting her purpose.