The Conjuring

The Conjuring

Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston

Directed by James Wan

Husband and wife Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren are nationally known spirit hunters.  Ed is a demonologist and Lorraine is a clairvoyant, and together they've helped countless people with their haunted lives, but there's one story that they never told until now.

Carolyn (Lili Taylor), Roger (Ron Livingston) and their five daughters just moved into a quaint house in Rhode Island in the early 70s, and almost immediately strange events surrounded the family.  What first started off as bumps and creeks soon turn more sinister, causing Carolyn to turn to the Warrens for help before whatever is haunting them destroys the family from within.

Director James Wan ("Saw," "Insidious") is the new face of horror.  He consistently delivers powerful films that haunt people to their innermost parts, and "The Conjuring" is no exception.  It is one of the best horror films I've seen in recent times, and it's got the entire package.

Since it took place in the early 70s, Wan used a style of filming that makes everything seem like an old 70s horror flick, from the costumes to the film style, it's meticulously done with the spirit of a man who wants only the best, and delivers only the best.

The atmosphere of the entire film also adds to the creepiness factor.  There's not a lot of cheap jump scares some horror movies rely on to get the audiences scared, but instead uses slow build-ups to what you think will be a jump scare but deceives you into a false sense of security, to only later on spook the heck out of you.

The actors are the most important part of the film.  With seasoned actors such as Farmiga and Wilson, they effortlessly deliver impeccable performances and their on-screen chemistry is palpable.  Plus they portray two people who I've followed through the years with their lives and haunted cases, and it showcases their vulnerability in a way never seen before.  The real Ed Warren passed away a few years ago, but Lorraine had her hands in this film from start to finish (and even made a cameo that I easily caught).  This adds to the validity of their story especially.

If you're looking for a great horror film to be spooked by, this is the one for you.

My Rating: A