The Conjuring Review

Over-hyped or truly malevolent?

Full review by Isaac Handelman

Few horror films in recent memory have inspired the sort of hype and attention that The Conjuring has. And who could blame the public for this? The film’s R-rating has been publicly declared to be due to the fact that the film was “too scary” for a PG-13. Some theatres have gone so far as to display signs outside of Conjuring showings warning that some may find it “too scary”. Stories abound of viewers who had to vacate the theater shortly into the proceedings because they were “too scared”. In the end, perhaps the hype has led viewers to expect the film to be too scary for its own good. The Conjuring contains no shortage of slick scares, but it’s hardly the revolution in mainstream horror that some have made it out to be.

Conjuring claims to be based on the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a pair of paranormal investigators (or “demonologists”) who agree to assist the Parrens in cleansing their new house of dark supernatural forces. Christian themes are numerous within the film, to the point where Ed Warren actually states outright that the Parrens wouldn’t be experiencing these horrific encounters were they a church-going family. During some of its more devout moments, the film begins to border on religious propaganda. And if you’re going to enjoy The Conjuring at all, you’ll have to buy in to this way of thinking for 120 minutes, which isn’t such a ridiculous thing to ask in return for the enjoyable ride The Conjuring provides.

The Conjuring's less "in-your-face" scares are its most effective.

As per the horror film tradition, The Conjuring does its best to ratchet up the terror as it goes on. The scares escalate from bizarre coincidences to full-blown battles against demonic forces -- but the film’s first thirty-or-so minutes are full of somewhat dull and unnecessary exposition. This issue can be somewhat easily overlooked, though, as most viewers will be more than content with the anticipatory dread that comes during the film’s slow start. The Conjuring’s first big scare -- and the absolutely dreadful (in a good way) moments leading up to it -- is perhaps its most terrifying. The initial reveal is masterfully executed, flawlessly balancing a tense buildup with a sudden, terrifying and suitably brief payoff.

After the first scare, though, Conjuring mostly abandons any semblance of psychological horror in favor of a series of jump scares. Mind you, they’re visually creative, well-orchestrated jump scares, but they don’t exactly leave the lasting impression you’d expect out of a truly great horror film. Even the film’s most unsettling images probably won’t carry enough weight to warrant any sleepless nights, which could conceivably be seen as either a positive or a negative depending on your stance on the horror genre.

Though The Conjuring’s scares are undeniably well done, most are somewhat generic, and the narrative doesn’t take any particularly interesting turns. Thankfully, the cast is uncharacteristically strong for a horror film, with the standout being Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren, whose characters is the most likable and reassuring of the bunch, and is a particularly comforting presence when the film’s fright-level peaks. The film also benefits from some impressively effective comic relief thanks to John Brotherton’s amusing Brad, a local police officer who agrees to help out with the investigation.

Many the film's most cliched elements manage still to entertain.

Even during its most generic sections, The Conjuring manages to entertain, though it doesn’t prove to be as innately scary as it’s been hyped up to be. However, the film is well made by a group of people with an obvious affection for their genre of choice, and this affection shines through in The Conjuring in the form of the consistently great ride the film delivers.

Ultimately, The Conjuring feels like the perfect movie for tentative horror fans. It’s about as extreme as a horror film can get without crossing over into psychological horror, making it a compelling entry point into the genre. Though devoted genre diehards may be let down by the film’s failure to do much new or leave much of a lasting impression, its tense nature and multitude of well-executed scares ensure it’s a solid summer scare-fest.