James Wan’s the Conjuring (2013) Movie Review

Star Cast: Hayley McFarland, Joey King, Lili Taylor, Mackenzie Foy, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Shanley Caswell, Vera Farmiga

Director: James Wan

Genre: Horror, Mystery & Suspense

Censor Certificate: A

Run-Time: 96 Minutes

Based on a true story, The Conjuring is set in 1971 at a secluded farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. Roger and Caroline Perron (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor) just moved their five daughters to Rhode Island to start over. After a few nights in the house, the family slowly realizes that a demonic spirit possesses their home and the spirit is feeding off of them to keep alive.

Real-life ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) are asked by  Perron to come to her home where she, her husband and their five young daughters are experiencing something supernatural. Within minutes of arriving the duo realize that they’re up against something stronger than they’ve ever known. 

The major problem in most horror movies is the acting. The acting in this movie, however, is actually very good. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga give some of the best performances of the year as the Warrens. The Conjuring isn’t a love story, but Wilson and Farmiga’s chemistry is lovely to watch and they do a wonderful job representing how much they cared for each other. 

The family that is haunted has five kids and a few of them are stereotypic but they all do a decent job. They each have a scene or two where they shine in their moment of scourge. If they are scared then the audience is scared and the movie works. Seeing one of the youngest daughters sleep walk and bang her head against the closet was crawly and of course the entire movie starts with normal occurrences that are creepy and quickly elevate.

James Wan is a very good director, capable of carrying out an horror piece, with a solid understanding of his material to put us right in the middle of the action and let us have a relatively good time. The direction of the film is great and sullen with old school supernatural horror conventions and levels of Moodiness with jump scares, keeping an even level of both which generates great deal to tension. Cinematographer John R. Leonetti (Insidious Fame) creates an irresistibly creepy effect through out the film by fluid tracking shots to capture the haunted place.  The Conjuring’s every frame looks like an extraordinary photograph. Music by Joseph Bishara and Mark Crozer elevates the scenes, especially thumping and slamming sounds builds the scenes. 

Points to NOTE:

* If your dog wont enter the new house, neither should you or your family, it time to move out.

*If clocks stop at the same time, its time to leave.

* If you stumble on  boarded up a cellar, its time to get out.

* If multiple birds die due to speeding into your house, its time to go out.

* If your girl talks about imaginary friend and holds a antique toy.. it time to leave.

If you love creepy haunted house films and possession themed movies, this movie is for you. The Conjuring doesn’t set out to do anything innovational, but the familiar tricks it does, it does very well. The story of The Conjuring  plays out to be very unexpected with that a structure that hasn’t touched in a while in horror films due to the ensemble cast (11 People in the house). It was risky attempt by James Wan to narrate a horror script with such a large cast, but he worked out wonderfully. 

On the Whole, The Conjuring has some great night scares. Regardless horror films rarely come as good and beautiful crafted as “The Conjuring”, which is why it should be seen. 

Whats Good: Creeps, Performances, Cinematography and Background Music

Whats Bad: Works on same old story, a bit Slow first half