The Conjuring Reviews

Decided to re-watch both 'The Conjuring' films, with memories of really liking both, after watching, and not liking all that much, 'The Nun' (which was watched as part of my watching as many films of 2018 as possible quest) very recently. Just to see whether they held up, as good as remembered and whether they succeeded where 'The Nun' didn't and didn't make that film's mistakes.

On re-watch, 'The Conjuring' does hold up very well and actually just as good as remembered. It succeeds splendidly in where 'The Nun' failed and has none of its mistakes. 'The Conjuring' is not a perfect film, but it is very atmospheric, well made and genuinely scary, or at least to me it was. It is a very familiar premise, done to death actually, but the atmosphere stops it from being too predictable and there is enough freshness.

'The Conjuring' is overlong but its biggest, and only big, problem is the final act.

It did become repetitive and lost momentum at this point and the very end felt rushed.

Other than those, 'The Conjuring' is very good. It looks great, especially for horror films released in recent years (too many of which have looked like they were made on the schlocky cheap). It looks slick and stylish while having a spooky setting and suitably nightmarish lighting. The music is haunting and not over-bearing, recorded in a way that is not overly loud or obvious that it spoils the atmosphere (which was great because many horror films seen recently failed in this regard).

Script is not too awkward and is structured coherently, with nothing cheapening it like sluggish exposition or cheesy misplaced humour. The direction is meticulous in detail and clearly shows an engagement and ease with the material. The story takes time to unfold but doesn't get dull. As said too, 'The Conjuring' is genuinely scary, with actual tension, suspense and dread, in a palm-sweating and heart-pounding sense at its best, while not relying too much on jump scares (they are there but have build up and were surprising).

Found myself liking the characters more than expected. The leads were ones worth caring for, didn't get frustrated with them, wish for more personality or annoyed by them. The antagonist was frightening, was neither over-used or under-utilised and didn't look cheap. The acting also comes off well, especially Vera Farmiga while also impressed with how Lili Tyler coped with a role that on paper seemed limited.

Summarising, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the haunted house genre but since this movie had a decent reputation, I thought I might as well check it out. Well, I have to admit that I actually really enjoyed it and I thought it was actually better than 'Insidious' also from the same director. To be fair, it is actually a really staightforward flick and, if you are familiar with the genre, you won't see anything really surprising but that's probably why it actually worked. Indeed, what slightly bothered me with 'Insidious' was that it was still too over-the-top for my taste. Here, they simply followed the rules of the genre but, even though you might think that it would make the whole thing rather boring, it was actually quite effective. On top of that, the directing was really solid and I really liked the way they delivered some spooky scenes without showing actually really anything. In fact, the scenes were you would actually see a ghost were less interesting in my opinion. It did also help that they had a much better cast than in your usual horror flick and all the actors involved delivered some solid performances, especially Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga who made a convincing couple of paranormal experts. To conclude, even though I still don't think it was anything really groundbreaking, it was still a really solid and spooky horror flick and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

From the director of 'Saw' and 'Insidious'. 'The Conjuring' tells the story of the big family and their newly bought house which is haunted by the ghosts. They consult the couple who are the fine paranormal investigators in the country. And the rest of the story follows to prevent the ghost's execution of evil power against living ones.

One of the most talked horror movie of the years, in fact lying in the top one of the list in its genre in 2013. I liked this movie for its simplicity, they did not try too many stuffs to make it jam together. The presentation was in chronicle order, the flashbacks would have been spoiled the movie's rhythm, so we must hail the director Wan for that. Yet! another disappointment for me because it was one more horror movie that did not scare me at all. It tells, that is why I am not good at the horror genre. Not because of that I don't believe in negative forces but I like movies like 'Drag me to Hell' and old 'Evil Dead' kinda themes.

The positive from the movie was the performances from all. They said it was based on a true story and that is the other top more favour the movie had in its success. This movie still a best compared to other silly horror movie which highly depend on a fine sound editing for scary scenes and graphics to make a ghost. I think you should go for it if you have not seen it yet.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Based on the true story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring focuses on the case of the Perron family.
I was really hoping this movie would live up to the hype, but I didn't realistically expect it to. I'm usually not the least bit scared by supernatural horror, and I didn't like James Wan's previous film, Insidious. And, as it turned out… it was the breath of fresh air I was hoping for, but nothing mind-blowing.
The main reason it trumps so many modern horror films is because it doesn't rely on jump scares. It doesn't just shout and scream and yell and try to make you jump every thirty seconds. Instead, it builds up a genuine sense of unease through a string of very believable false climaxes. There are many, many times when you think it's building up to a jump scare… and it doesn't. For example, there's a scene where one of the daughters goes to look under her bed, but then shrinks back again – as anyone would. Beautiful! :)
And whenever there is a jump scare, it's not conveyed through a stupid orchestral sting, but from a loud crash in the next room or something.
All this means the fear comes from the situation itself, not manipulation on the part of the filmmakers. It didn't give me a complete sense of authenticity, but close.
In short, this is one of the best horror movies in several years, but it's more impressive than it is scary.

My rating: 75%

I rate movies on how much they deliver in their chosen genre - a Horror movie needs to scare, or at least unsettle - The Conjuring had great production values but with a look we have seen a 1000 times before. There were little to no surprises in this flick. Aside from Patrick Wilson being very likeable this movie doesn't have really anything to offer. The focus of the story is all over the place and it just does not scare or leave any unsettling feelings.
Disappointing

I expected more from this movie because of high ratings. What did I get? The visuals are great, the setting is very pretty with the right amount of creepy. The characters are run-of-the-mill vessels for supernatural torture. The pacing is so-so, with three distinct spikes becoming progressively more intense.
The biggest problem is the way the secondary storyline (Annabel) is set up at the very beginning, mentioned throughout the film in the Warrens' lectures & other scenes, but ultimately has absolutely no effect. Why was it given so much importance for no reason?
The 'mother' as motive for the demonic activity was revealed all too easily by the clairvoyant, and then parroted out multiple times. A major plot point should not have to be explained verbally, but shown in images. This seems like poor writing.
It certainly isn't an innovative ghost story - there are distinct echoes of the Exorcist and many other possession films here. Not too scary either.

"Something horrible happened here..."

The Conjuring is 2013's must-see scary movie, following in the shadow of 2012's Sinister and director James Wan's own 2011 flick, Insidious. Written by Chad and Carey Hayes, this is a horror outing that favours tension and restraint over in-your-face bedlam, confirming that Wan is a master of the genre who's almost unparalleled in his ability to conjure pure terror. Wan is also notable for paying attention to one aspect often neglected by his contemporaries: atmosphere. Horror movies can have jump-scares and bloodletting, but it's ultimately the mood and tone that matters in the long run, as such elements can transform bumps in the night into an experience that will haunt you for weeks. Add to this a handful of strong performances from an able cast, beautiful filmmaking and a sharp script, and The Conjuring deserves every bit of acclaim it receives.

Real-life figures Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) examined several supernatural occurrences during their time as paranormal investigators. Supposedly, the married pair once encountered a case so petrifying and malevolent that they tried to keep it under wraps - and it's this case that forms the basis of The Conjuring. Set in 1971, the Perron family move into a rural house purchased at auction, with parents Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger (Ron Livingston) looking to build a cosy new life with their five daughters. At night, the family begins encountering strange smells, weird noises and unexplained events, which rapidly escalate in viciousness. Low on options, the frantic Carolyn convinces the Warrens to investigate, ultimately discovering that the household's supernatural presence is far more devious and sinister than they could have imagined.

As with any film purported to be based on true events, one must wonder how much of the script is actually true (my guess: not much), but this query hardly spoils the nail-biting experience of The Conjuring. Wan and his writers defy expectations by assembling a character-based horror rather than a straight-up haunted house movie draped in unoriginality. Ed and Lorraine function as the trademark experts, but the characters here are fully-realised, three-dimensional, and interesting. In fact, they approach each case as sceptics, making them a lot more relatable. For its first two-thirds, The Conjuring splits its focus, covering the woes of the Perron family whilst occasionally cutting away to the Warrens to give us a glimpse into their personal lives. It's absorbing. Furthermore, the lingering query of "Why don't they just leave the house?" is addressed almost instantaneously once the Warrens enter the picture, asserting that the family do not have the funds to move and explaining that the ghostly presence will follow them anywhere they go. However, a few horror chestnuts show up here and play out exactly as one would expect, including the youngest daughter befriending a ghost.

To be sure, the storyline is nothing spectacular, but the craftsmanship is something to behold, with Wan giving The Conjuring an A-grade look and feel. The period setting endows the picture with a unique flavour, and the production values are spot-on, with authentic sets and costumes, and Frank Leonetti's well-judged cinematography that makes brilliant use of inventive angles and shadows. Better yet, many of the special effects are practical, resulting in a realistic, lived-in disposition that heightens the sense of atmosphere. There's a retro mood to The Conjuring that's very refreshing, and it reinforces that Wan's understated approach was influenced by the iconic horror movies of the 1970s.

The hype machine for The Conjuring emphasised its scary disposition, and the experience is quite frightening indeed. Wan's flick carries an R-rating, but not because of blood, gore or nudity; instead, the rating is due to Wan's inherent understanding of how to unnerve and disturb us. The director's confidence is astonishing, as intensity levels are continually heightened, and we become increasingly convinced that a demonic presence is lurking in the dark corners of the Perron's residence. Even a cynical theatre crowd will have trouble finding things to laugh at or ridicule here - the characters are so convincing, and the suspense so competently executed that the obnoxious viewers should be silenced for the most part. The Conjuring especially comes alive towards the end. Whereas Insidious' final act was lightened by a sense of funhouse camp, The Conjuring culminates with a callous climax that fires on all cylinders. Wan holds nothing back - the imagery is disturbing, while the layered sound design will have you riveted in your seat, provoking nonstop goosebumps for 10 minutes. It's a vicious, malevolent sequence, benefitting from flawless staging, lensing, and editing; it is possibly Wan's best motion picture work to date.

Another enormous strength of The Conjuring is the flawless cast. Acting is not often a strong suit in horror, but Wan assembled a sublime selection of actors and coaxed top-flight work from all of them. Remarkably, the child actors fare extremely well here; they all effectively convey fear, and seem perpetually in the moment. Wilson and Farmiga are brilliant here, too, imbuing the Warrens with depth and warmth. And Taylor deserves massive kudos for her work as Carolyn, as she expertly handles the tough material. Rounding out the main players is Ron Livingston (Office Space, Swingers), burying his comic chops for a completely serious role, and pulling it off with confidence.

The Conjuring is James Wan's masterpiece, and that's a tough call considering his efforts on Saw and Insidious. Admittedly, there is nothing original left to be mined in the haunted house genre, and every such production is going to be narratively familiar to an extent, hence it's the execution that matters - and in this respect, Wan hits it out of the park. The Conjuring is an instant classic, one of the best traditional horror flicks of this era and one of the most frightening movies you're likely to see this year.

8.5/10