Genre: Horror
Rated: R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror.
Director: James Wan
(Out of 10)
Writing: 7
Cinematography: 8
Acting: 7
Overall: 8
Synopsis: The Perrons, a family of seven, move into a secluded house only to be welcomed by malevolent spirits. Once the haunting intensifies, the family looks to Ed and Lorraine Warren, renowned demonologists, for help. Ed Warren thinks his wife, a clairvoyant, has been through too many negative supernatural encounters and fears for her safety, but Lorraine insists God has brought them together to help fight the literal forces of evil. This story claims to be based on true events.
The Conjuring broke through the roof during its premiere, raking up $3.3 million, which is almost unheard of in the horror genre. It most likely would have made more if the rating association hadn’t slapped it with an “R” rating for being too scary. Although the scare factor of this movie is debatable, it is undoubtedly a fresh take on the haunted house story.
James Wan relies on simple camera tricks and makeup to cook up the terror instead of CGI. Much like Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980), who believed in the power of imagination, Wan leaves it up to the audience to fill in the terrifying gaps, which I believe is the film’s greatest success. Much like Spielberg’s “Jaws,” we do not see the creatures that haunt the characters, we only see their prey. Speaking of Spielberg, The Conjuring is very reminiscent of “Poltergeist.”
Something else that immediately stood out to me was the exceptional acting. Most horror films have second rate actors needing their “big break,” but the young actresses who play the Perron family’s daughters put on a great performance. This caliber of acting creates great empathy for the characters, instilling an ever-present feeling of dread at the uncertainty of their fates.
The conjuring may not deserve its R rating for being scary, but it is certainly intense. Instead of hitting us with the biggest scare in the middle of the film, the stakes and suspense steadily build right up to the very end. The story also makes great strides in setting up each character so we grow to love them and worry for them, unlike any other horror story I have seen for the last decade. Wan’s films tend to have a lot of explanatory scenes because the supernatural needs to be explained. But, unlike “Insidious,” where halfway through the film we are forced to stop and listen to grandma and company explain everything about the supernatural, “The Conjuring” steadily gives us explanatory scenes throughout.
Many critics have called “The Conjuring” a wholesome horror story. Although very dark, and menacing, the film is essentially void of all other questionable material.
As the film closes we are left with a quote from the real Ed and Lorraine Warren:
“Diabolical forces are formidable. These forces are eternal, and they exist today. The fairy tale is true. The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow.”
