The Conjuring
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston
Directed By: James Wan
Reviewed by Danielle Muir

[rating: 3.5/5]

If you’re looking for a serious case of the heebie-jeebies with a period twist then book your tickets to The Conjuring pronto.  Despite its generic, uninspired title The Conjuring is anything but an average horror flick (well, at least until the conclusion) – using old school bump-in-the-night tricks and creepy camerawork to set teeth on edge.

The story actually isn’t that original – the cookie-cutter Perron family have upped sticks to a picturesque house by the lake only to experience some unusual occurrences.  Doors opening and closing, mother-dear coming up in bruises, sleepwalking and a music box that appears to reflect something other than its beholder.  As time progresses, a desperate Carolyn Perron (Taylor) tracks down the famous Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga), a clairvoyant and supernatural expert couple who investigate and cleanse unwanted spirits.

Yes, some of the scare tactics are as simple as loud noises, crazy birds and whispering voices but the beauty of The Conjuring lies in the camera work and timing.  The majority of shots track one character as they creep through the house, lingering and focusing on their movements.  It’s very unnerving as you’re waiting for the jump-scare for an unbearable amount of time – but another beauty is that it doesn’t always happen.  There are instances where the shot may last three minutes, and result in the character finding nothing, creating the feeling that when the you-know-what really does hit the fan, it’s going to be a big deal.  And it is.

Farmiga and Wilson are a likeable duo (portraying real life couple the Warrens) and if their story is to be believed, they give us a fascinating peek into the lives of those who ward off the supernatural.  Usually we only see the act of the exorcism in films – not what comes next or the toll it takes on the exorcist.  The unsuspecting Perrons are cast well, with some great child actors (the youngest cop it the worst) shining.  Their parents (played by Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston) also work as two exasperated parents scared to death for their children, with Taylor putting on a hell of a gutsy show as the film goes on.

The only real gripe is the ending.  The Conjuring spends three-quarters of the film masterfully crafting itself only to fall into the generic ending trap.  It’s disappointing because it really had differentiated itself and created a unique style up until this point – but I suppose it’s a tried and true method.

The Conjuring is definitely the scariest movie released in 2013, and a must for lovers of jump-scares or those craving some good-old fashion bumps in the night.