The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2

Starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Madison Wolfe, Frances O'Connor

Directed by James Wan

The Story:
After a particularly harrowing investigation at the Amityville house, psychic Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) wants to end her investigations with her demonologist husband Ed (Patrick Wilson), due to a particularly terrifying premonition she received while at the house.

Meanwhile, in Enfield, England, the Hodgson family are your typical 1970s family, except the father is out of the picture.  Single mother Peggy (Frances O'Connor) is taking care of four children, including Janet (Madison Wolfe), the best she can.  One night, Janet gets terrorized by an unseen force, which strengthens in power and threatens the entire family.  At the end of their rope, they turn to the Warrens to help, but Lorraine is wary due to her premonition.  Will this be their final case?

The Synopsis:
The first "Conjuring" was a surprise critical and audience success, and introduced people who had no intentions on studying the paranormal to the Warrens.  A sequel was greenlit, featuring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga returning to reprise their roles, but there was the question as to what case they would use to make the next film.  Their most famous investigation centered around the Amityville house, but director James Wan decided to do the Enfield Poltergeist, mostly because it was the most documented spiritual attack in history, and due to the completely unnerving nature of the case itself. 

In many ways, "The Conjuring 2" is a lot like the original:
-they both start off with a different case; in the first, it was about the demonic doll Annabelle; here, it's about their investigation at the Amityville home
-they both take place in the 70s, complete with costumes, sets, cars, etc.
-they both feature a family in crisis
-the scene where Lorraine looks into a mirror, and you expect to see something, then you see nothing, until it hits you unexpectedly

Typically, this is a sign of doom for a sequel, because there'll be obvious discussions about which film did it better.  In this case, the second film far exceeded the first in every aspect. 

James Wan has a knack for horror, and utilizes every single tool at his disposal to make "The Conjuring 2" more than just another haunted house movie.  From the color hue schemes to the setting (that house is incredibly depressing already without it being haunted by an evil spirit), from the fascinating camera angles and use of jump scares in a way that doesn't diminish the story or makes them too gratuitous, to simply call this another haunted house movie is doing it a severe injustice.  It's a rare horror masterpiece, one that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Some of the cinematography was downright revolutionary, using forced perspective and abandoning cheap jump scare edits to deliver a chilling film.  There's one beautiful scene where Ed is talking to the spirit through Janet, and the camera is transfixed on Ed's face, while Janet in the background is blurred, so you don't know what she's doing.  Wan leaves a lot to your imagination, which is more terrifying than a ghost jumping out and yelling "boo."  He knows his audience has seen it all, so he decided to bring a new life to a dead subgenre, treating us like grown adults who aren't fooled by the cheap effects of lesser outings.  

Speaking of treating the audience like adults, the script was so cleverly written that you don't truly know if the family is really haunted - or they're pulling an elaborate hoax.  You think to yourself, "of course it's really happening, look at what's going on!"  But then you think about it, and you begin to wonder what your eyes have really seen.

Madison Wolfe gives a commanding performance as young Janet, the girl terrorized by the demon in the house.  She showcases youthful innocence but also intelligence beyond her years, and she shows true terror as well as giving some cringe-worthy (in a good way) moments that leaves the audience spellbound.  One moment she's an angelic innocent girl, the next she's levitating off the ground and speaking with an old man's voice.  Beautiful work.

Just like the original, the majority of the film falls on the very capable shoulders of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.  This is their second outing as the famous Warren couple, and they know their stuff inside and out.  You can tell these two relish their roles and the chemistry between the two is red hot.  The love between the two is clearly visible, as Lorraine is willing to give up her God-given gift for fears of losing the love of her life.  The final scenes of the film even brought a little tear to my eye - they're that amazing together.  They share some playful moments as well, but 95% of the film is tense and filled with dread, not knowing what waits around the corner.

At 2 hours and 14 minutes, some people might think this is too long for a horror film.  I found it to be 2 hours and 14 minutes where my heart was gripped in a vice-like grasp, and it was exhilarating.  I don't need to wait in line for hours to ride a thirty second roller coaster, I just watched "The Conjuring 2."

The Summary:
"The Conjuring 2" serves as a rare horror sequel that far exceeds the original in every aspect, and proves that you can make something more than just another "haunted house" movie by treating the audience like intelligent adults and unfolding a compelling story like a flower blooms.

The Score: A+