The Conjuring 2 (2016) Movie Review
Written By: JASR
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: James Wan
Producers: Rob Cowan, Peter Safran, James Wan
Writers: Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes, James Wan, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Date Released: June 10, 2016
Cast:
Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren
Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren
Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson
Frances O’Connor as Peggy Hodgson
Lauren Esposito as Margaret Hodgson
Benjamin Haigh as Billy Hodgson
Patrick McAuley as Johnny Hodgson
Simon McBurney as Maurice Grosse
Maria Doyle Kennedy as Peggy Nottingham
Rating = 4/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
Janet (Madison Wolfe), the second-oldest child of Peggy Hodgson (Frances O’Connor), plays with a Ouija board at home. She and the rest of the family later begin to encounter paranormal occurrences – most notably by an old man named Bill Wilkins (Bob Adrian). Wilkins possesses Janet, as seen during a media interview. Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), whom we’ve met in the first movie, learn about the situation and decide to help. Other paranormal investigators such as Maurice Grosse (Simon McBurney) and Anita Gregory (Franka Potente) are also involved to determine the legitimacy of the case – since there is the possibility of it all to be a hoax. The Warrens must get to the bottom of it all while keeping themselves safe in the process.
Gore Factor
The first part of The Conjuring 2 shows some scenes involving deaths from a rifle and impalement through a sharp object, but those scenes are fairly manageable. Other parts of the movie show objects moving around, but those are barely considered gory. If there’s anything to watch out for in The Conjuring 2, it’s definitely the spine-tingling image of Valak and the creepy voice of Bill Wilkins.
The Grave Review
While many horror movies begin in a laidback and light manner, The Conjuring 2 definitely sets the tone by starting with an extremely creepy setting. The movie consists mostly of creepy scenes, and just 20 to 25 minutes in can already make sensitive viewers want to stop watching.
Just like the first movie, The Conjuring 2 has quality direction. The way James Wan directed this film makes it look so realistic. Usually, whenever I see moving objects in a horror movie, I would laugh and shrug them off – mainly thinking how unrealistic they are. However, in this film, all the moving objects seem so realistic. Instead of thinking that there’s a movie crew working behind it all, you would be impressed by the spirit haunting the home for going all out and moving those objects like a true haunting pro.
I must say that the antagonist in the movie is an intelligent one, and a difficult one to beat. It knows what to do to trick investigators and manipulate Janet – something that will frustrate the movie’s viewers. With the emotions that this movie can bring us, one can already tell that the writing and direction are remarkable.
I also applaud the movie’s musical scoring. Everything from the timing to the sounds they used fit just right in the movie. Speaking of sounds, Bill Wilkins’s laugh while possessing Janet is beyond creepy – and it’s even creepier to think that there’s a real-life recording of that incident.
In this movie, we meet two characters: Valak and The Crooked Man. While Valak appears to be extremely sinister and unsettling, The Crooked Man looks quite unrealistic. In my opinion, while Valak plays an essential role in the film, The Crooked Man is unnecessary.
When it comes to points that I’d like to nitpick, there is this one scene where Janet’s mother is forcing a door open – and it wasn’t until Ed told her to use a key that she runs to get it. The writers may have done this on purpose to show how the situation is stressing her out and preventing her from thinking straight, but it’s still a senseless move that viewers would laugh about.
If there’s one non-horror factor that stuck with me, it’s the love between Ed and Lorraine. Despite all the spooky scenes in the film, the writers and director were able to show the true love between the couple – from saving the other to dancing together.
Nonetheless, even during a romantic scene, the movie still gives out an unsettling and eerie vibe. That’s what horror movies are about after all, right?
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives The Conjuring 2 (2016) four graves out of five graves.
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