“The Conjuring” Review

I have watched “The Conjuring” with a couple of friends a few weeks back and I must say that I’m a bit disappointed with it. Hearing all of the reviews and comments of the people who watched the movie said that it was very scary either it is true or they just have low tolerance for scary movies. Though there are still those moments in the movie that made us jump out of our seats even though it was a bit cliché. Though most horror films nowadays borrow ideas from their predecessors The Conjuring would seem as the lovechild of the movies The Exorcist and Amityville Horror with some references to Candyman, Bride of Chucky and even the movie Blair Witch Project which made the movie less horrifying because of the clichés of the movie. And that is what proves to be the fatal flaw of “The Conjuring”. Though with the help of the beautiful music scores made by Joseph Bishara that helped add the suspense and pull the viewers in and give them the experience as if they are also in the movie.

The movie is set in the early 1970s. The movie started off with Annabelle, a possessed doll, as the intro and back-story of the Warrens family. Being a pediophobic (person with a fear of dolls), every time Annabelle appears is quite creepy and a scary experience. Ed and Lorraine Warren is a married couple who investigate the paranormal.  Throughout the movie there are some scenes that just show how the families live and some scenes that were quite disturbing and quite shocking. It was by the end part of the movie where the “real” scary parts start to happen.  Director James Wan made the movie predictable but even though it is predictable, it still gave that creepy and scary experience the audience wants.

All in all, The Conjuring is a great movie for those who seek a good scare in their life. I would recommend watching it with friends at night to add that “scare” factor.

[Draft] By: James Santos