The Nun (AKA La Monja)

Plot

Parent of teenage girl is murdered by a spirit. Other friends of the parent are murdered. The girl and her friends go to confront the spirit. Only two survivors.

The Good

Watchability

This is certainly a watchable movie. (+1) There are several technical gaffes. The hobbled foot of the adult Eulalia changes from right to left. Any time there is a "spirit" scene, it becomes obvious from the bad green-screening.

Story Line

The story line, especially with the ending gimmick, made some sense, but was hurt by no explanations of inconsistencies with timing. Rather than a horror film, this is a psychodrama that uses elements of the horror genre to keep the audience guessing. The viewer becomes engaged in the story, by accepting the premise this is a horror film. By actually being a psychodrama, the viewer is let down at the end, but, almost with relief. Still, within the "horror" section of the film, we are treated with scenes of terrible, retributive death. Just what we expect. (+1)
This film almost falls into the typical teenage horror movie (teens have sex, then get killed), but doesn't completely go there. Since, in reality, this is not a horror movie, it does well with flirting with horror movie clichés. This leads the viewer to expect a horror movie, and the viewer is rewarded with a change at the end. (+1)

Acting

The acting is better than generally we can accept. The parents are multinational, and each one appears significantly different. The New Yorker is intense. The Californian is too friendly. The handicapped woman shows how she deals with her physical diversity. Most of the rest is either intense terror or strong sympathy, which is easily played. (+1)

The Bad

There are several cliché camera moves that telegraph the action. (For instance, she is watching out the window, the camera pulls back so the window is completely in the screen, then the "jump" shot occurs.) The green screening looks different from the rest of the movie, and also telegraphs that something bad is going to happen.(-1)

The Ugly

This movie is okay, and I appreciate the horror touches that draw the viewer in, just to have them removed at the last.
+3: Watch it if you've got nothing better to do.