HIT supernatural horror franchise The Conjuring is back for one last terrifying case in which real-life paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) must face their own inner demons.
Directed by Michael Chaves, The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers another thrilling chapter of the iconic paranormal cinematic universe, based on real events. A powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise, we’re back on familiar ground one last time as Ed and Lorraine delve deep into all things otherworldly and demonic.
To say the ninth entry to the franchise is slow to get going would be a huge understatement. It takes well over an hour for the Warrens to get down to any serious ghost-busting, when the case in hand has been staring the audience, rather frustratingly so, in the face from the opening scene.
While Last Rites does come equipped with rather creepy basements and attic spaces as well as grotesquely grinning ghouls, it all feels a little predictable, and not as peculiar as I would have liked. There doesn’t appear to be any new tricks left in The Conjuring’s cannon, so it’s probably no harm that Ed and Lorraine are going to slither off now to their occult retirement home.
This is certainly not as good as the last outing, The Devil Made Me Do It, which of course wasn’t a patch on the first couple of Conjuring films. Everything after the first two films have been a disappointment of sort though, to be completely honest.
This time out, when the Warrens finally get to Pennsylvania to help a terror-stricken family that have battled diabolical forces for months in their own home, the credits are almost upon us and it’s a slapdash race to the metaphysical finish line.
The Conjuring: Last Rites has had the biggest opening weekend for a horror movie ever, taking in $194m globally, which shows the immense popularity of this supernatural series. It’s just a pity then that everybody’s favourite middle-aged exorcists weren’t given the send off they truly deserve.
(3/5)
