My Review of The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)

 

Written by Ian Goldberg And Richard Naing And David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick And James Wan

Directed by Michael Chaves

Lorraine: "Ed, there's an evil here. Something I've felt before."

Last week, I did a rewatch and review of the previous three movies in this successful horror franchise. It was time for the final chapter and oh boy, did this one really do it's level best to go out on a bang for the Warrens. 

Once again, we're thrown into a case. The one that would be the last for Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga). Also, funny story before this particular case in question, we'd see the paranormal pair doing the lecture circuit and avoiding the real reason why they were no longer taking on cases.

Of course it had to do with Ed's health, something which now the much older Judy (Mia Tomlinson) also addressed. In the previous movies, Judy was very much a background character. In this one, she's effectively co-leading with her parents as her own supernatural powers (same as Lorraine's) came to the forefront.

On top of that, Judy had a lovely fiancé named Tony (Ben Hardy), who was generally a bumbling sweetheart with a nice backstory about being a former cop. His scenes with Judy and her parents were actually some of the strongest in the movie and I'm happy to report, the movie ended with Judy and Tony actually getting married.

As for the case itself, it was the Smurl family, which saw parents Janet (Rebecca Cowan) and Jack (Elliot Cowan). Their house was possessed and the eight people that lived in the house all had their own demonic encounters. Naturally the press took an interest and the Warrens themselves came out of retirement to check it out.

This case definitely felt like it was the most personal for the Warrens. Lorraine learned more about the demons and murder, Ed and Tony tried to remove a cursed mirror and Judy herself was terrorised by a rather familiar doll. While the Smurl case had more to it than what the movie covered, a large chunk of the haunting was depicted here before offering a sense of closure to the series.

- In flashbacks to 1964, Ed and Lorraine were played by Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor respectively.

- Characters such as Carolyn Perron (Lili Taylor), Cindy Perron (Mackenzie Foy), Peggy Hodgson (Frances O'Connor), Janet Hodgson (Madison Wolfe) and David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard) also appeared during the end of the movie.

- Standout music: Benjamin Wallfisch provided the score for this movie.

- Chronology: Mainly set in 1986 Pennsylvania as well as the opening 1964 flashback.

The Conjuring: Last Rites not only felt like an ending to this part of the franchise but it could've been the end of the whole franchise. It's certainly a good place to end Ed and Lorraine Warren as protagonists but I'm sure this also just laid the groundwork for a new Annabelle movie in due course.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

 

Written by James Wan And David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick

Directed by Michael Chaves

Ed Warren: "The court accepts the existence of God every time a witness swears to tell the truth. I think it's about time they accept the existence of the Devil."

Usually things end in threes and this really could've been the end of both this part of the franchise or the entire franchise in general. It had a feeling of finality to it.

Once again, we're with paranormal couple, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) but this time, we're not dealing with haunted houses as such. This one was definitely more about the possessions and a bout of occultism in the mix as well.

The movie started with a family's young son, David (Julian Hilliard) being possessed by a demon that Ed and Lorraine really struggled to get rid. In fact to up the ante, Ed ended up hospitalised and in a wheelchair for a bit of the movie. Of course that wasn't the only consequence of saving David.

David might have gotten the demon taken out of him but his sister, Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook) didn't fare as well. The demon instead up residence in her boyfriend, Arne Cheyenne Johnson (Ruari O'Connor) and as a result, he ended up stabbing his landlord twenty two times and was sent the prison for his crime.

This film tackled the issue of demonic possession being claimed as a defence while also putting Ed and Lorraine through their paces. Along with their assistant, Drew (Shannon Kook) they worked on trying to save Arne from the death penalty while drawing a link to another case involving an occultist (Eugenie Bondurant). 

Unlike the previous movies that were in spin off setting up mode, there's a good focus on the actual threat at hand. Isla/Occultist made for a good villain, the demon certain had both Ed and Arne act, Lorraine had more to do and there was a strong supporting role from John Noble as Kastner. I think this might have had the strongest third act so far.

- Once again we see items from previous movies and spin offs with voice over work filling in the gaps of the real life case this movie was based.

- James Wan co-wrote but didn't direct this one. His wife Ingrid Bisu had a role in this film as well.

- Standout music: Eddie Money's Baby Hold On and Blondie's Call Me.

- Chronology: 1981 in Brookfield, Connecticut as well as Dancers, Massachusetts.

I think I might have liked The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It the best of these movies so far. The story helped by being a little different from the first two. It's also the movie where I think the reshoots helped strengthen the actual plot and third act itself.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of The Conjuring 2 (2016)

 

Written by Chad Hayes And Carey W. Hayes And James Wan And David Leslie Johnson

Directed by James Wan

Lorraine Warren: "After everything we've seen, there isn't much that rattles either of us anymore. But this one... this one still haunts me."

Following the events of the first movie and spin off movie, Annabelle, it was time to venture into the first sequel of this franchise. This meantt another case with husband and wife demonologist team, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga).

Back in the 1970s, it wasn't just the US having their share of paranormal cases but even the UK had an infamous one with the Enfield Haunting. It was time for the Warrens to take a trip overseas for this particular case.

The case focused on a single mother, Peggy Hodgson (Frances O'Connor) and her family, Janet (Madison Wolfe), Margaret (Lauren Esposito), Billy (Benjamin Haigh) and Johnny (Patrick McAuley). Let's just say kids really shouldn't be messing with ouija boards.

It was Janet and Margaret playing with one that suddenly saw their home being terrorised by the ghost of Bill Wilkins (Bob Adkins), who communicated through Janet and certainly made the effort to unnerve Ed during their initial encounter in the house.

However, it wasn't just one ghost. No, there was also the Crooked Man (Javier Batet) terrorising the house and even Ed and Lorraine needed the helps of others such as Maurice Grosse (Simon McBurney) and Anita Gregory (Franka Potente) in saving the Hodgson family.

Then there was another spin off to help set up. Lorraine was having visions of a demonic nun named Valak (Bonnie Aarons) and there's a battle between the pair in order to save Ed. Personally, I found this set up a little clumsy and distracting from the main plot itself.

- The last scene contained the Annabelle doll, a haunted "Crooked Man" zoetrope and one of the Perrons music boxes.

- There's some nice supporting performances from Maria Doyle Kennedy and Simon Delaney as a couple who were friends with Peggy and her family.

- Standout music: Elvis's I Can't Help Falling In Love With You and The Clash's London Calling.

- Chronology: The movie started with the Lutz family in Amityville in 1976 before moving to the Enfield Haunting in 1977. Christmas played a part here too.

The Conjuring 2 for the most part did make for a good sequel. I liked the London setting, the jump scares were still good but it did feel like they could've weaved the Valak story a lot better into the movie or just hinted at it in a post credit scene instead.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of The Conjuring (2013)

 

Written by Chad Hayes And Carey W. Hayes

Directed by James Wan

Ed Warren: "The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow."

With the last month of these movies due for theatres next month, I went back to rewatch the first three. This franchise has definitely been a good mine for WB but often a mixed bag in terms of quality.

Focusing on real life couple Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), these two are quite the experts in the paranormal field. Though their credibility has often been called into question.

With this movie, we open with the demonologist couple investigating the infamous Annabelle doll that has been terrorising friends Camilla (Amy Tipton) and Debbie (Morganna May). Of course that would be more in line with setting up the next movie in this franchise rather than the crux of this one.

Instead the action pivoted towards the Perron family. You had Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn (Lili Taylor) moving into a new home with their five daughters. It's not long before strange stuff happens at a specific time, Carolyn wound up with bruises and the poor dog Sadie ended up being dead as a result.

Of course that meant the Perron family getting Ed and Lorraine to try and sort out their supernatural problem along with their assistant Drew Thomas (Shannon Kook) and police officer Brad Hamilton (John Brotherton). Honestly, the Warrens needed all the help they could get.

The house had a history of Satanism and Witchcraft, notably Bathsheba Sherman (Joseph Bishara). The remainder of the film played as a tense battle for two families souls and it's one that's played well enough with the Warrens being able to save the Perrons from their Satanic house.

- The end of the movie set up the events for Annabelle (2014), which in my opinion is still the best film in this whole franchise.

- The real Lorraine Warren had a cameo appearance in the movie.

- Standout music: The Zombies Time Of The Season and Dead Man Bones In The Room Where You Sleep.

- Chronology: The film started in 1968 for the Annabelle case before the main events in Harrisville, Rhode Island during 1971.

The Conjuring was a strong start to this franchise, adapting the real life Perron case and setting up the events for another movie. James Wan does good with the jump scares and there's no denying that Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are excellent in these roles.

Rating: 7 out of 10