The Conjuring

'The Conjuring' is an extremely solid supernatural horror. I admit that I did find it less interesting as it went on, but even so I did comfortably enjoy seeing the progression of the story; I like that the plot doesn't majorly meander, each stage is clear. It doesn't rely on cheap jump scares either, which is something I was expecting it to utilise. The supernatural elements here are very well done, we don't see terribly much of the demons, at least early on, so any appearances are effective. The stuff with the kids/mum is convincing too. I was happy to see Vera Farmiga appear onscreen, I remember her fondly from 2011's 'Source Code' and have wanted to see her in lead roles since - she's excellent in this. Patrick Wilson and Lili Taylor are also notable performers, while Joey King has one particularly great scene. I'd class this as more creepy than scary, admittedly I seldom find movies scary (just the way my brain is wired with fiction). I can obviously still sense when something is unsettling though, anything with kids being possessed does the job in that regard. How this franchise has ten features and I hadn't even seen one is a mystery to me. Better late than never, hopefully this strong first entry is a sign of things to come.

"Ed Warren" (Patrick Wilson) and his wife "Lorraine" (Vera Farmiga) are renowned paranormal investigators drafted in by the at-their-wits-end "Perron" family to their remote Rhode Island farmhouse that they are convinced is possessed. It doesn't take them long to realise that this whole area has been the scene of Satanic worship since time immemorial, and those lingering spirits have got it in for the new occupants of the house - and their five increasingly hysterical daughters. James Wan really does develop this story with an effective degree of menace and Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor work well together as the parents scared out of their pants by the goings-on in their dream home that is turning into a nightmare that perhaps even an exorcism won't resolve. Joseph Bishara presents us with an eerily effective musical accompaniment to this story and the acrobatic and prosthetic visual effects all contribute effectively to create a real sense of malevolence that, unusually for many in this genre - it has a degree of plausibility too. Big screen experience is better especially in a busy cinema, and well worth a watch.

Hadn't seen this in a while and watching it again in preparation for the third movie, found it to be well done. I'm not much for these supernatural horror movies but with James Wan's camera work, and the screen presence from Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, makes it an entertaining flick. **3.75/5**