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| Courtesy of Warner Bros. |
The
Conjuring is an R-rated haunted house flick with no gore, no sex and practically
no foul language. If you’re wondering if the movie is scary, there’s your
answer. And the good news is that it earns all of its scares the old-fashioned
way: through atmospheric, slow-building creepiness. There are no gotcha moments
(like a cat jumping into frame for no reason) and even the few tension-relieving
laughs are of the gallows humor variety. I’m not generally a big fan of horror
movies, but I really enjoyed this one.
Supposedly
“based on a true story,” as the marketing declares in all-caps, the film
focuses on two families brought together by a horrific experience. Ed and
Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are well-regarded paranormal
researchers who strive to help people they believe are being threatened by otherworldly
forces. Their newest clients are Roger and Carolyn Perron (Ron Livingston and
Lili Taylor), who just moved into an isolated farmhouse with their five
daughters (Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, Joey King, Mackenzie Foy and Kyla
Deaver).
Almost
immediately, the Perrons are terrorized by a dark presence. It begins small,
with strange sounds and gross smells. But then the girls start getting yanked
out of their beds in the middle of the night and Carolyn finds bruises all over
her body for no reason. They reach out to the Warrens for help, which the
presence does not appreciate. Ultimately, the people involved must find a way
to get rid of the malevolent spirit before it kills someone.
Screenwriters
Chad and Carey Hayes aren’t blazing new narrative trails with The Conjuring;
it’s the equivalent of a spooky campfire tale. But there’s a reason spooky
campfire tales are so fun. When told in an effective manner, they can be
downright terrifying. Fortunately, director James Wan (Insidious) understands
the strength of the material lets it stand on its own. The use of ambient
sounds is deeply unsettling and I appreciated his focus on old-school practical
effects rather than relying on massive amounts of CGI.
A
great deal of the film’s success is the result of top-notch casting. Wilson and
Farmiga are fantastic as the Warrens: they’re charismatic, affable and they
play everything completely straight. There’s no winking or eye-rolling to their
performances. Their characters completely believe in this stuff, but they
approach it in a frank and scientific manner. If Warner Bros. is smart, they’ll
turn this into a franchise for the two actors. I’d watch a bunch of movies
about the Warrens solving paranormal mysteries.
Livingston,
Taylor and the actresses playing their daughters are also good. They convincingly
convey the daily fear that would come with living in a haunted house, along
with communicating a believable reason why they don’t just pick up and move (or
burn the sucker down).
If
you’re even remotely a horror fan, see The Conjuring in a packed theater on
opening weekend. This flick was designed to be watched with an audience. Half
of the experience comes from everyone being scared out of their minds together,
and the wildly entertaining reactions that result.
The Conjuring is rated
R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror.
Grade:
B+
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