In the movie industry today, sequels, prequels and spinoff s are everywhere, and not always for the right reasons. Studios chase box office profits instead of trying to make a good movie, turning many follow up movies into money grabs instead of meaningful additions to the franchise. Today 41% of movies get a continuation compared to the 1990s 11% and we have seen many more misses than hits. For every “Godfather Part II,” there are letdowns like “Dumb and Dumberer” or “Mean Girls 2,” Since 2013, the Conjuring universe has grown to 8 movies, which begs the question, will The Conjuring: Last Rites be a Boom or a Bust?
For more than a decade and across 8 movies, the Conjuring franchise has terrified viewers with stories inspired by the real world paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren. In 2013 the fi rst Conjuring movie came out and became an instant classic, praised for its tension and scares. It led to many sequels, prequels and spinoffs, such as “Annabelle” or “The Nun,” creating one of the most successful horror universes ever, which has finally come to an end.
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” closes the series. Directed by Michael Chaves and starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who acted in all 4 Conjurings, this fi nal movie visits one of Warren’s most disturbing cases, the Smurl haunting. Longtime fans are expecting closure, while newcomers are expecting a bang.
The movie starts with a short flashback that hints at something dark connected to Ed and Lorraine’s daughter, Judy. The story then jumps ahead to the 1980s when the Warrens come out of retirement to take on the Smurl haunting, one of their scariest yet. The Smurl family home is full of strange noises and violent disturbances that only get worse. As the Warrens look deeper, they realize this isn’t just another haunting, it’s personal.
Chaves takes a different approach with this one. Instead of the slow and creepy build up from the first 4 Conjuring movies, this movie jumps right into the action. There are way more jumpscares and thrill-filled moments. This makes it exciting and fast paced, but also makes it lose some of the quiet suspense that made the original stand out. It felt much bigger and in-your-face, which some people may like, but made me miss the eeriness and stress the first movies had. The movie has its fair share of “cover-your-eyes” moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. The way the sound was used added another layer of anxiety, using the quiet moments to build suspense and quick noises that make the scares hit harder.
While the fans looking for nonstop action will enjoy this style, it feels different from the earlier movies. Although the original Conjuring became so popular because of the slow building scares that creep in throughout the movie, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” focuses more on intense and frequent scares. While there is a reliance on jump scares and it lacks the tension of the original, it is a coherent story that is easy for newbies to follow, it provides a good finale with closure for long-time fans and is a fast paced story that makes it engaging from start to finish. For the listed reasons I would rate “The Conjuring: Last Rites” a BOOM.
