The Conjuring was one of the first horror movies I went to see in cinema and it was an experience I'll never forget. Watching this genre in the confined environment of your own home is one thing, but nothing means the sheer terror that can be elicited from watching a horror on the big screen with excellent audio. The first movie was eerie and extremely clever, lacing its scares with very human characters and little touches of humour. It was clear that this could be the beginning of a new series akin to director James Wan's other recognisable works such as Saw and Insidious. Yet the question going into this film was clear: would this be stricken by the curse of horror movie sequels, or would it stand as a good movie in its own right?
The latter proved to be correct as The Conjuring 2 more than lived up to the success of the original. This time everyone's favourite paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren are at it again, swapping the first film's setting of a large farmhouse in Rhode Island for a council house in Enfield. The recession really did hit everyone hard. The premise is largely similar to its predecessor with a family seemingly haunted by a demonic spirit seeking the Warren's help to rid themselves of it. However, when you throw in the fact that this is based on a widely documented real-life case (as is another famous investigations which makes up the film's opening) and the fact that this is a story more personal to our central protagonists than the first and you've got yourself a large melting pot of horror movie goodness.
What makes this film (and indeed the first) stand out to me is how well it has been made in terms of the crystal clear quality of its picture and the on-point level of its sound. Growing up in the era of found-footage horror films (a sub-genre revitalised by the success of the Paranormal Activity series) it is so refreshing to see a movie that can not only compete with this style in terms of jump scares, but indeed surpass in terms of cinematic execution. There are frames in The Conjuring 2 that are simply works of art, which is not surprising considering it was Don Burgess, who was nominated for an Oscar for his work on Forrest Gump, who served as cinematographer in this production. Also the sound-design here is typical of what we as an audience have come to expect from a James Wan production, with silence being his greatest weapon. The score is also very effective Joseph Bishara once again proving himself a very reliable collaborator of Wan's.
All this aside, what I would say truly make this film feel special to me was the strength of the story between its two leads. Too often in the horror genre are the central protagonists overlooked in favour of the scares or the mythology of the monster or villain they are battling. The Warren's have proven themselves over two movies to be probably the most competent and more lovable horror heroes in cinema. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson have fantastic chemistry on-screen and their relationship comes across very organic and real. The sequel's plot really gives them both a chance to shine, with the underlying story really being about the conflict within Lorraine over wanting to help the family and prevent her husband's demise. Farmiga plays this really well, and her performance at the end of the final act is spellbinding to say the least. Wilson is also fantastic, his natural charisma shining through when he performs a rendition of Elvis Presley's "Falling in Love with You" for the family he is trying to help. I can't say enough about how highly I rate this on-screen pairing except for the fact that, in my humble opinion, they are perhaps two of the most likeable and relatable horror-movie characters bar none and I could easily lead this franchise for many more years to come.
There are a few reasons I would probably rank The Conjuring 2 just under the 2013 original. While it was a very scary film, it didn't fill me with quite the same feelings of dread that it's predecessor did. Also, while the first film didn't show us the demon until very late in the film, this film plays its cards very quickly which takes the fear of the unknown away from the audience. Finally, the visualisation of The Crooked Man was less "Exorcist" and more "Nightmare Before Christmas". Clearly made using special rather than practical effects, this particular personification of the demon looked cartoonish next to its more goulish counterparts.
Overall, The Conjuring 2 was a really enjoyable horror movie. While not as frightening as the original, it still has enough scares to keep certain audience members awake at night. The story is strong and the cast is great, with the chemistry between the two leads being one of the film's key pillars. Hopefully we see another instalment in the Warren's adventures as this is a franchise that most certainly still has legs.
Score: 8.2/10
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