'The Conjuring 2' Review

The Conjuring 2 Review:

The Warrens Take On London

BY IAN TAN

France has the best poster

The first The Conjuring was a major success, not just critically and financially, but for studio released horror films in general. At a time where the only good horror flicks audiences could remember were the ones released decades ago, James Wan stepped into the picture and gave us the gleefully creepy Insidious and the memorable The Conjuring, which has now become an audience favourite and in my opinion redefined the horror blockbuster experience. With that being said, does Wan’s sequel hold up to his 2013 smash hit?

Yes, without a doubt.

The minute the film starts, Wan pulls you right into the film with a chillingly spooky opening sequence featuring paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are once again played excellently by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga respectively. The two have great chemistry together and share a rather poignant romance in the film that’s as engaging as it is sweet. And the best part is that it never feels forced or shoehorned into the story; it actually grows very organically throughout the film.

 

Vera Farmiga has a problem with Patrick Wilson's sideburns

But Ed and Lorraine aren’t the only great characters in the film, as the Hodgsons – a British family who claims their house is haunted – are equally interesting characters that manage to solicit a good amount of sympathy from the audience. As is the norm now, Wan has a fantastic cast of child actors, all of whom act genuinely frightened by their haunted house situation. Madison Wolfe in particular is a standout, playing the Hodgson family member who is suspect of most of the eerie on goings in the film.

Of course, what’s a horror flick without scares, right? As per Wan’s trademark style, The Conjuring 2 is chock-full of very well crafted scares and thrills. I wouldn’t say he’s outdone himself though, as those familiar with his filmmaking style may well be able to tell how certain sequences will play out. While most of the scares in the film prove to be very effective (a sequence featuring the infamous Nun and a painting was edge-of-your-seat frightening) there are a couple that fall short, most of which involving a character called The Crooked Man. That character/entity just felt a little out-of-place to me, especially when he gets involved in a rather action-y sequence towards the end of the film.

 

Just a couple of beers before a paranormal investigation

That brings me to my other minor (read: very minor) gripe about The Conjuring 2. The budget for this film is double that of the first, and along with that comes a longer runtime that doesn’t quite justify itself (some scenes could have been paced better or even left out i.e. scenes with the Crooked Man). Additionally, a few scares here and there don’t hold up as well as some of Wan’s best scares from his Insidious films and the first Conjuring, probably due to the fact that they feel bigger (due to budget) and less intimate than the ones in his previous films.

 

Freddy?

Overall, The Conjuring 2 is a solid sequel to The Conjuring and proves that James Wan is still one of the best horror directors in Hollywood. His horror films all have a sense of fun that is made all the more enjoyable when watching them with a packed audience and a group of friends. The few bits of humour in the film work pretty well too and bring a good sense of levity to the film. He just strikes the balance between fun and scary so well, especially with this film. If the Conjuring films keep delivering the goods as they have so far, and if Wan’s on board to direct a third film in this franchise, sign me up. This could end up being a solid horror trilogy.

Score: 7.8 out of 10