The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Running Time: 2hr 14min

Release Date: June 10, 2016

Review by: Stacey

 I'm writing this review about a week after I saw the movie because procrastination, so bear with me.  Holy shit, I won't even beat around the bush, I loved The Conjuring 2.  I know that's not an uncommon thing to hear but this and the Insidious franchise are so polarizing within the horror community so it doesn't hurt to be clear about what side of the Wan fence you are on.  There aren't many films that he has done that I hate, to be honest (I just realized he directed the Kevin Bacon version of Death Wish- Death Sentence- and that movie ruled), but I feel like the first The Conjuring might be Wan's best work yet (I also love Insidious so my opinion might change next week).  That said, The Conjuring 2 is definitely a worthy addition to the cinematic universe that Wan seems to be creating with these films.

  Pulled from the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, this story follows a single mother and her four children in north London, where they are being relentlessly attacked by evil spirits.  Shortly after, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) are called to use their expertise to try and help the family break free from their terror- only to realize that whatever is plaguing the family, might be after them too.

(a photo from the real Enfield Poltergeist case showing Janet Hodgson supposedly levitating)

I don't want to lie, but for as excited I was for the release of this sequel, I also had a lingering sense of trepidation regarding the case they wanted to use as the basis for the film- The Enfield Poltergeist.  If you're unfamiliar with the case, it basically revolved around a family dealing with poltergeist activity, particularly Janet Hodgson (played by Madison Wolfe in the film).  Basically what The Conjuring 2 displays, except regarding the real case, while it may be one of the most widely publicized paranormal cases, it's also widely believed to have been a hoax.  And I know they touched on that aspect later on in the film, but they also tossed it aside for super dramatized action and crazy ass demons.  In real life, Janet and her sister had admitted to faking a lot of the incidents that were experienced and even went so far as to say they never felt like the poltergeist was evil.  Oh, can't forget the tiny fact that the Warrens were actually only one of MANY paranormal investigators that had gone into the house to check it out, and they weren't even there for a long period of time.  So you see what I mean when I said I was a littttle anxious to go into this film wholeheartedly.

I know that movies take plenty of liberties when they're "based on a true story", so I set my reservations aside and came out extremely pleased with the final product.  There was so much that I liked about the film, I'm not sure where to start but I will say that Vera and Patrick back in their roles as Ed and Lorraine were spot on once again.  This time around the movie definitely made sure to focus a large chunk of the story on them and their relationship which is something that was lacking in the first movie.  You really feel the chemistry between the couple and I think that's a BIG selling point for the film.  We want to know these people truly care about each other and the people they're trying to help.  There was one scene with an Elvis song (my favorite one) that I think was especially sweet and indicative of the relationship between the Ed and Lorraine characters.  I suppose some people will want to call it more of a "love story" but I'm not one of those people.

The actors playing the Hodgson family, especially Wolfe in the lead role of the terrorized Janet, all were convincing enough and it wasn't long before you felt a mild (at least for me) connection with them and their plight.  The other supporting characters, Maurice Grosse (Simon McBurney) who was helping the family and Anita Gregory (Franka Potente) as the skeptical one, were all crucial to the story and were properly portrayed as such.  I definitely don't have any complaints from the cast.

  I'm sure by now you have all seen the movie, so you'll know what I mean when I say The Crooked Man looked wild as fuck and I wish I had seen more of him!  I have heard SO much bitching from people regarding this character (who was in the movie for maybe two scenes?) and how it's some cop-out CGI move from Wan, when in actuality, one of the scariest characters in the damn movie was played by A REAL GUY.  Javier Botet suffers from Marfan syndrome which gives him a tall frame and long limbs that are super flexible, so naturally he's the best choice for a character such as The Crooked Man who is basically a less douche version of Slenderman and has a creepy rhyme to go along with him.  Aside from some CGI tweaks, the character was largely done practically and the most memorable (and horrifying).

The main baddie in the film, The Nun (aka Valak) was badass in its own right, but gave off far too much of a Marilyn Manson vibe so it was hard to be genuinely frightened of it, unfortunately.  Don't get me wrong, demonic nuns are scary as fuck (regular nuns might be scarier), but it came off a little goofy at times.  I'm sure we'll be seeing scores of Nun costumes this Halloween!  After watching the movie, I read an article regarding the actual demon, and it sounded far more fucked up than a spoopy nun, so I kinda wonder how it would have looked if they went for something more "demonic".

Marilyn Manson demon nuns aside, The Conjuring 2 boasted some pretty successful jump scares (I'm also a big puss).  There was one scare in particular, that I won't tell you about unless you've watched, that snuck up on my ass and I might have screamed and hit Adam...and maybe even started crying a little bit.  What?! I don't like surprises!  Especially if it's a ghost.

Earlier on in the review, I mentioned the first Conjuring is probably Wan's best work yet, and I stand by that.  Why?  Box office success aside, the story and the characters were so well done and it was just a perfectly crafted, yet surprisingly simple haunting movie.  I feel like if he had used all the bells and whistles and made it a CGI-heavy, action-packed spook fest, it might not have been as highly thought of as it is now.  That's not to say he didn't go that route (to some extent) with his Insidious franchise BUT for those films, it works wonderfully.  That said, that's probably why I still prefer the first Conjuring over this new sequel, because 2 felt more like it belonged in the Insidious group.  There was a lot more going on and it felt a bit more "fantastical" and otherworldly.

There's no need to dwell on it, but holy fuck, I wish they had trimmed down the timing of the film.  For this story, I think it could have been wrapped up just fine if it was at least 25-30 minutes shorter.  It seems the length (and pacing) was a common complaint among the people I know that have seen it.  

As you can tell, I have far more praises for the film than I do complaints, so I think in good conscience I can 100% recommend you see The Conjuring 2.  Plus, the Amityville intro is one that other horror fans will definitely appreciate. ;)

4/5  

Out in theaters now!
Check out the trailer below: