THE CONJURING

 

A REVIEW IN 150 WORDS 

Latest in the new genre of exorcism films (see: 'The Rite', 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'), 'The Conjuring' is directed by 'Saw' and 'Insidious' creator James Wan; as you might expect, it's "bloody… scary" (eh, eh?). An All-American family moves into their dream home in rural Rhode Island, are immediately beset by a selection of terrifying phenomena, and forced to call in experts, the Warren’s – engaging Patrick Wilson and winsome Vera Farmiga – a pleasant couple with a locked study full of possessed toys in place of a rumpus room. Tension builds, things escalate nicely, then fall apart a bit with the manifestation of a demonic hag in a nightie and dubious reappropriation of US history. Haunting procedural and showcase of established tropes, ‘The Conjuring’ works well at slow burn but is let effective when it lets its ghosts out the bag. In any case, the sequel’s already been green-lit. 6/10