The Conjuring | Movie Review

I’m not an skeptic, way far from it, but I’d definitely like to count myself as a rational being. I somewhere do regard as true the concept of supernatural- call it god, devil, or whatever that suits you best, so it was no big deal to accept the theme of The Conjuring as it came. But somewhere this film had this insane stubbornness to be out-of-the-league absurd, and it’s this arrogance that makes it ‘just another mainstream horror affair’. That doesn’t mean it’s not good, but it ain’t unique either. For everything this movie has to offer has been already presented in the Paranormal Activity series, and a few strands have been pulled off from Chucky and Exorcist.

the conjuring

This story is inspired by true events, or so the makers claim. Perron family has moved in to their new house in Harrisville, Rhode Island, and soon after they’re frequented by several evil spirits. Every clock in the house bizarrely stops at 3:07 am, and the mother has unaccountable bruises on her body every morning. And no, it’s not iron deficiency. A daughter suddenly wakes because she felt someone grab her leg.  There’s something in the house that wants this family dead, and it shall not rest unless and until it has killed them all. Fear brewing within, the family seeks two demonologists- Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in splendid performances)- to free them of this mess. Warrens have a young girl who possesses a doll highly resembling Chucky, and it’s connection with the house is very vague. Lorraine discovers the root of the house’s evil as the spirit of witch Bathsheba (Joseph Bishara), but carrying out an exorcism would require church’s consent, which in turn demands evidence of evil. And evidence they set off to find with some super-cool fancy gadgets.

THE CONJURING (2013) VERA FARMIGA as Lorraine Warren

The plot employs shit-scarily creepy techniques at first, but the chilled spine goes warm soon after the demonologists start getting prominence, as they jump on this adventure of saving the family from demons before they run out of time, and here onwards the scary movie is toned down to scary that’s just more than below-par suspense.

A fun fact for you guys- Now that the film claims to be inspired by actual events, I just wanted to examine to what extent the validity of this claim stands, and in the process found out that Ed and Lorraine Warren really do exist. Well just Lorraine does actually, while Ed surrendered to death in 2006. The couple did investigate evil spirits, but none of their theologies have been confirmed as true.

James Wan, the man who captained the Saw franchise does add the creep, but he fails to bring forth the old-fashioned horror piss. But his artistry is indeed notable, for he’s deliciously managed to capture the 70s era-  he unnerves you and sets the mood with sounds and the creepy visuals. The opening scene is one of the most scariest scenes to have come off any recent scarefest. The cinematography and the tight editing just elevate the eerie effect.

This film undeniably packs in pleasure, and there’s quite less a chance of witnessing another effective horror movie in 2013. But I’d still prefer watching The Shining over it.

3.5/5

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