Review: The Conjuring (2013)

Directed by: James Wan
Written by: Chad and Carey Hayes
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston

Going back ten years ago I started my first YouTube channel at 13 years old. While all I did was make short musical montages paying tribute to my favorite horror movies I did find myself taking part in a vibrant community of horror hounds. One of the most common sentiments most of us shared was that modern horror films simply don't cut the mustard like those of the past did. Why couldn't we see more movies like Rosemary's Baby, Psycho, A Nightmare on Elm Street or The Shining? While many doubt the future of the genre, The Conjuring is proof that Hollywood is still capable of delivering outstanding horror.

In 1971, Roger and Carolyn Perron and their five daughters move into an old farmhouse, and rather than finding a home to start a new life in they're instead subjected to a series of paranormal occurrences that escalate into a living nightmare. In desperation, the family contacts the famed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren for aid. This is followed by revelation that the house is possessed by the spirit of an accused witch while the supernatural forces seek to destroy them all.

As far as premise concerned it isn't all that different from the typical haunted house movie, but it's much less to do with plot, or anything that could be speculated about the real-life Harrisville case or the Warrens' claims. It's about execution. Not to say that I haven't enjoyed director James Wan's work in the past, but was surprised to see how effectively he uses techniques fashioned after the great horror films of the past, all the while gripping modern audiences that may not be attuned to them. If the widespread acclaim is indicative of anything, it's Wan's understanding of how to bring the fear out of us all. As resilient to horror as I am, the dark visuals, ambience and depicting the unexplainable terrified me. For as long as The Conjuring withholds exposition, it allows our imaginations to run away with the minds of its main characters and grabs us off-guard one time after another. If anything I kind of wish story development wasn't so crucial here as not to undermine other shocks potentially lost by revealing too much information.

Naturally it's hard to overlook the claims of being based on a true story in films like this, so I'll offer my own thoughts. I honestly think the Perron family has staged a hoax and that the Warrens are phonies. With a lack of any concrete evidence supporting the claims of a haunting it only leads me to side with the contrary view. That said, I view this as a successful example of cinema taking us from our reality. No matter my feelings on those involved in the case, I look at Wilson and Farmiga's Ed and Lorraine as simply great characters that guide us through a fictional world.

I've seen this movie twice and was incredibly impressed both times, making it all the more likely I'll be coming back to it time and time again. As far as these kinds of films go I look at Robert Wise's The Haunting from 1963 as the gold standard. The Conjuring should be honored by being called its modern equivalent.

My Rating: 9/10