The Conjuring (2013) - The Wizard Watches

     Until now, I have been in the small fraction of horror fans who had not yet seen The Conjuring. I wasn't afraid to either; I just never made time for it in my schedule. Now I know how much I was missing out on. Though there are a few underlying issues, The Conjuring is a classic ghost/possession story done right by the director of Saw and Dead Silence, James Wan. The scares are creepy and well-done, the family's story is enthralling, and everything is just done right and played up to the perfect haunted house movie effect.

     The film takes place in 1971 when Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) move into a new, old house with their five young daughters. The family seems to enjoy the house for the most part except for their dog won't come in and there's an occasional smell of rotting meat. However, things start to go awry when the family dog is killed mysteriously in the night and soon after apparitions start forming in the girls' bedrooms. The haunting increasingly grows worse and more hostile, causing Carolyn to seek the help of well-revered demonologists Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren. With their help, the Perron family discover not only that their house was a location for such heinous events as a child murder and a witch hanging, but that they're also in grave danger and need to have the witch's ghost exorcised from the home before it's too late. The story seems like typical haunted-house film fare with a history, but most of it does check out to be true as the film states. Even if it wasn't, the story of the family's struggle and the chemistry the film family has together is enthralling and enough to hold the audience's attention alone. By the end of the film you just want them to be safe. The "ghost story" behind it all was very intriguing as well even though it felt like stereotype horror in some parts. However, the scares and creepy aesthetic the film goes for is definitely achieved with excellent execution.

     When it comes to the true story the film was supposedly based on, most things do seem to check out. The Perron family was intensely haunted by the witch Bathsheba and the Warrens were there to help out and witness it. However, one fatal flaw makes this film inaccurate. From the research gathered and statements from Lorraine herself, the possession didn't go exactly as the film depicted. She says the possession only occurred during a seance, and other accounts from secondary sources say that the possessions stopped when the Warrens left and only then. Even though accounts of that end may vary, they all stray from the way the movie has it done. So, it's not 100% accurate, but with how satisfying the film is, it doesn't really need to be to get a scare.

     One more problem that I had with The Conjuring that makes more sense now that its spin-off Annabelle exists is that other than preparing for the Annabelle movie coming out later on, the scenes with the Annabelle doll are completely unnecessary - creepy, but unnecessary. We're introduced to these characters at the beginning of the film that have no relevance other than to tell their story about Annabelle and introduce the crowd to what the Warrens have dealt with previously. However, so much time is spent on Annabelle at the beginning and so much less on the Perron family that you feel like you should see more of Annabelle than here single other appearance in the movie. Even if they had put more of her in the film. it still bears little relevance to the story of the Perron's family haunting. It feels like the creators of the film KNEW Annabelle would catch on - or even that they were trying to force it. I will eventually see the Annabelle film, but for now, it just feels like forced horror.

     Even with its few flaws, The Conjuring is a great horror film overall. The story is mostly accurate and highly intriguing nevertheless, the family leads are interesting and charismatic together, the scares are very classic and well-done, and the suspense building up to each scare is very high. Each scare prepares you by putting you on the edge of your seat. However, this film was not one of the few that succeeded in really scaring me. Though it didn't, that doesn't mean it's a bad film at all. I had a fun time watching it and it really had that creepy, haunted house movie aesthetic that I appreciate. I can see why people already consider calling this a modern horror classic.

(7/10)