Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: The Conjuring

Friday, July 19, 2013

The Conjuring - Review

The Conjuring
(2013 - July 19)
Horror | Thriller
1 hr. 52 min.

Rated: PG-13 Sequences of disturbing violence and terror.
Grade: B+

Director: James Wan
Writers: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor | See full cast and crew

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. "The Conjuring" tells the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga), world renowned paranormal investigators, who were called to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful demonic entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most horrifying case of their lives. -- (C) WB

The truly scary movies are the ones that you know could actually happen. That's why The Exorcist was terrifying to so many viewers, in that vein, The Conjuring is a terrifying paranormal horror movie, also based on a true story. It is superbly well-crafted and extremely creepy. Malaysian born director James Wan (Insidous, Saw, Saw III) ratchets up the dread and chills with a series of smartly delivered, terribly effective old-school type scares.

Back Row: The real-life Perron girls today - Front Row: The actresses who play them in The Conjuring

The events this film is based on took place in the early 1970s when the Perron family, Roger (Ron Livingston), Carolyn (Lili Taylor), and their five daughters -- moved into a new home in the Rhode Island countryside. Almost immediately, they start encountering strange noises and smells, stopped clocks, slamming doors, and figures lurking in dark corners. So the Perrons approach paranormal investigators Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) for help. The Warrens believed a demon was causing the trouble, and when Carolyn became possessed, they sought approval from the Catholic church for an exorcism.

Lorraine's clairvoyant abilities were physically taxing and stressful for her and with each case she grew weaker. Their recent case load had been quite deleterious to her physical strength, and Ed was very concerned that this case might be more than she can survive.

I enjoy films of this genre but they have to actually be scary or they are just a bore. Most fall into the second category but every now and then you get one of the good ones. The Conjuring is one of those rare events. I did experience a few good jolts in this one.

Patrick Wilson (Insidious, Phantom of the Opera, Watchmen, Angels In America) has two movies opening this year, and in each he plays the father of a haunted family. Not coincidentally both projects are directed by Saw's James Wan.

Insidious: Chapter 2 has a hit first movie to build on, and even though that's not the case with the second film although, The Conjuring does feature Mackenzie Foy (aka Renesmee - Bella and Edward Cullen's offspring from The Twilight series) but this time she isn't the threat but the innocent being threatened.

The costumes and sets are nostalgically well done and are almost as horrifying as the story itself, anyone who lived through the 70s can identify. Not that familiar with the actual historical events, I can't honestly say which events in the film were fictionalized for dramatic effect.