Review of The Conjuring (2013) by Hoops2448 — 09 Sep 2013

From the mind of the director of Saw, The Conjuring is a film that finds itself in two minds about whether it should be a strict horror film or a family themed one. Eventually the film stops trying to differentiate and just gives up making for an ending so flat its almost as if it doesn't end.

The film follows Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), a married couple who work as ghost hunters and are sent to the Perron household where Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) are experiencing odd occurrences that are scaring not only them but their five girls.

Filled with some great tension, the opening act of the film is almost like it is from another film as it slowly but surely puts you in a state of unease, one that feels like it isn't going to end leading to a moment so terrifying it will affect some of the most seasoned horror watchers.

However after that the scares become more predictable and the timing becomes a lot more conventional as the film transitions into a picture about family where there is no real sense of jeopardy, just two families bonding together which could be interesting if The Conjuring wasn't a horror film.

The picture decides to avoid a chilling finale in favour of an action one where everything collectively hits the fan but by doing so have rid the the film of any redemptive features as director James Wan's signature style of raising tension to a boiling point is thrown out of the window in favour of a whole lot of confusion.

This balls to the wall conclusion lacks the gravitas of his previous works which is a crying shame indeed.