Rating of
3.5/4
Fact or Fiction - It's Frightening
Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/24/13
I've seen a fair share of horror films and by this time, I know what works for me. That doesn't stop me from watching a lot of horror movies I pretty much know are going to be bad (thank you Netflix) but I'm always hoping to stumble upon something that takes me by surprise. I knew going in that The Conjuring has been getting great critical reception and a good reaction from general audiences as well. Yet so many times I have been disappointed, even if a film has been praised.
What makes The Conjuring work for me is twofold: the sense of dread in the film is pervasive - it never lets up. And second, the casting is spot-on and fleshed out just enough to make you care about these characters. The based-on-a-true-story angle has been done plenty in the past and, despite the fact you know they embellished things, it always makes things a bit more frightening knowing that it has some ring of truth.
The film opens not with the main story, but with an aside dealing with a possessed doll. That doll is probably one of the creepiest to come along since that clown in Poltergeist. That leads us into the Warrens - Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (a fantastic Vera Farmiga). The duo are paranormal investigators who work on many cases: she is a self-proclaimed clairvoyant while he is an demonologist recognized by the Catholic church. Together, they investigate a wide variety of cases dealing with possession, exorcisms, strange happenings and the like. Although many can be explained by common means (wind, pipes, etc.) not can be solved so easily.
That is where our main family, the Perrons come into play. Moving into a country estate from New Jersey, they are ready to start a much more quiet life. Roger (Ron Livinston) is a truck driver and is often away leaving Carolyn (Lili Taylor - giving a standout performance) to take care of their five daughters. Although the daughters aren't given as much development, the actresses playing them (Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, Joey King, Mackenzie Foy and Kyla Deaver - from oldest to youngest) do a great job of really selling that fear.
What starts off small - doors opening and closing, strange bruises, whispering - soon gets more and more serious - soon full-on apparitions are jumping out. Turns out their bargain house has a very dark history - something it doesn't take the Warrens long to pick up on and they move for an immediate exorcism and set about getting some proof on tape to justify this action
The only thing that prevents me from going all the was to four stars was the ending strays just a bit too far into the unbelievable range of things. Still, all the events leading up to it are dripping with suspense and, as I said, that pervasive feeling of dread. There is little blood to be found here - mostly it is achieved by an excellent score, great sound effects and the reaction of the actors. Taken as a whole if you don't jump a few times, you are a better man than I.
This is really a throwback to the horror movies of old. Yes, the film owes a lot to the likes of Poltergeist and The Exorcist, but it stands on its own as a fantastic example of modern horror that doesn't have to rely on buckets of blood or found footage to be genuinely terrifying.
