I’ve finally gotten around to watching The Conjuring: Last Rites.  I put it off because of how much I enjoyed the first two and how much I didn’t like the third. Also, due to my feelings about the real-life Warrens.

• Directed by: Michael Chaves
• Written by: Ian Goldberg. Richard Naing. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
• Starring: Patrick Wilson. Vera Farmiga. Mia Tomlinson

Fortunately, The Conjuring: Last Rites is far better than The Devil Made Me Do It, at least in the early scenes.  This film returns to what Conjuring does best: a sweet, loving family tortured by demons in a manner that mirrors (heh) Lorraine’s relationship with her own daughter.

The Demon in the Details

The details of the demon are rather immaterial.  The important thing is this time around, the jump scares are effective. Probably because the characters, the Smurls, are much more sympathetic and relatable.  The main victims are sisters who are mean enough to each other. They also help each other out when it counts.  There is also a set of precocious twins, doting grandparents, and affectionate parents. Picture-perfect victims for vengeful spirits.

On the Warren’s side, Ed and Lorraine are dealing with the effects of their long career and Ed’s health.  As well as growing skepticism about their adventures. Judy is about to be engaged and dealing with her own psychic gifts, something Lorraine struggles with guilt over. 

It’s Judy that pulls Ed and Lorraine into the Smurl’s situation as she tries to use her senses for good. Judy gives Lorraine a strong character arc, as she has to let her daughter grow up. Similarly, Ed is dealing with no longer being as strong as he used to be. All while Tony is taking a much more prominent role in her life, first as boyfriend, then fiancé.  In a lot of ways, it’s a movie about growing up and letting go. It’s also about trust, two themes that go hand in hand.

More of the Same is Too Much

This should have been a great movie. The pieces are all there.  However, it somehow manages to be both overstuffed and lean at the same time.  The early scares are the best. Sadlyby the time the movie hits the half-way point, these spirits have lost their power. Maybe it’s because we’re not seeing anything new. 

The Conjuring movies have never had the most innovative ghosts. The pacing and timing of their appearance is what made them impactful.   Now by the fourth go-round, it’s all too familiar.  I’m probably the wrong person to say anything considering the amount of horror movies I’ve seen, but there isn’t anything new here.

The biggest flaw in The Conjuring: Last Rites is the split between Judy’s story and the Smurl’s. There are too many elements to each story and when crammed together, the whole thing starts to feel like a speed run.  An important element in the story is dropped halfway through. It’s something that would have been mentioned by the family, and it’s weird how easily it’s forgotten. Even H3, who was more “happened to be in the room” than “watching the movie”, picked up on it.

Over-Plotted Problems

Judy has her family history, impending marriage, troubling visions, and connection to the Smurls. The Smurl’s have the haunting, family issues, media frenzy, and troubles with the church. Then when you add in the Warrens’ retirement and involvement with the case, it becomes a struggle to give each of these elements enough screen time to make them significant. What ended up getting cut seemed to be the actual haunting, which seems like an important part of the movie.

Last Rites seems like it should be a “passing of the torch” movie.  Judy and Tony are clearly set up to be replacements for Lorraine and Ed, at least in this universe. In the real world, there’s just a bit of a charisma gap between both the pairs of actors.  They do a fine job, but Patrick Wilson and Vera Farminga  leave some big shoes to fill.

And now we have to talk about the end- SPOILERS (kinda)

Because the movie rushes through the themes and character arcs, the final confrontation is a little meh. This is supposed to be the case that caused the Warrens to retire, but in the end, the demon was solved with the power of…facing your fears.  I get it. Earlier in the movie, Ed tells Tony that demons feed on fear, so this could be starving them. But for a demon that was waiting and plotting for Judy’s entire life, and considering the power it displayed, this feels anticlimactic.

There are things I do like about Last Rites. The script does take advantage of the existing material to build a convincing character for Judy. She’s given some good moments to confront her parents and remind them who they are supposed to be, instead of who they’ve become.

There are also some great moments of character building and drama for the others too. Turns out the script really works when it’s not trying to be scary, which is a major downfall for a horror movie.

Final Thoughts

Well, the Warren’s part of the Conjuring franchise has come to an end. This is a far better note to end on than the abysmal Devil Made Me Do It. However, they never quite captured what made the first movie great. If you enjoy the characters and are looking for some light scares, this is probably worth your time.  If you want something truly scary, there may not be enough here to keep you entertained.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is available on streaming.