Review: THE CONJURING 2 Is a Masterful, Terrifying Horror Movie
Director James Wan has done it again and created another horror movie masterpiece with The Conjuring 2. Wan has made one great movie after another, and it seems like he’s perfected the craft of bringing horrific and nightmarish stories to life on the big screen. Wan is one of my favorite directors working in Hollywood today because he has yet to disappoint me.
Judging from what I saw in the trailers for The Conjuring 2, I knew the movie was going to be solid. The first movie was a fantastic film, and I’ll admit, I was a little worried that this sequel wouldn't be as good and hit the bar that was set with the first film, but I’m happy to say that it did and even raised it!
One of my favorite things about what Wan does with his movies like this is the way he visualizes the story and tells it through his camera lens. He sets up his shots so precisely and they are done in a way that is meant to mess with the audience's head and build the fear in them until he’s ready to throw something terrifying out at them. It’s at that point the audience reacts with jumps and screams, and there were a ton of those fearful reactions in the screening attended for this film.
For me, one of the main tests for a great horror film is that it has to scare the shit out of me. I’ve been watching horror films since I was a kid, so I’ve kinda become desensitized to them. Most horror films don’t freak me out like they used to when I was growing up, so if a movie comes along that scares me now, then that movie is a complete success in my mind.
The Conjuring 2 terrified me! It’s one of those horror stories that had a lingering effect on me after the movie ended, which means that fear followed me home, and when I tried to sleep that night my imagination ignited, and every little sound I heard freaked me out, and every time I looked in the dark corner of my room I thought something was going to jump out at me. Call me crazy, but I love that feeling! The rush I get from fear makes me giddy.
Not only did the movie scare me, but it also told great story, which is based on the actual events surrounding the Enfield Poltergeist. The haunting occurred in Enfield England from 1977 to 1979 and terrorized the Hodgson family, which consisted of a mother and her four children. The film brings all of the crazy events that this family went through to life, and it mostly centers around 11-year-old Janet Hodgson. As the hauntings escalate and life gets virtually unbearable, Ed and Lorraine Warren are brought in to investigate if the activity is legitimate or if it's being faked. It turned out to be one of the Warrens' most insane paranormal investigation cases.
The movie obviously embellishes some of the story and adds some things to make the movie flow and give the story even more of a kick, which is fine. The things that Wan did with this movie were fantastic. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to actually experience the kind of stuff that was included in the movie.
The movie has a talented cast of actors that include the return of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the Warrens. They once again they were fantastic in their roles, and they were joined by Madison Wolfe, who gave an incredible performance as Janet. The film also co-starred Frances O’Conner, Lauren Esposito, Benjamin Haigh, and Patrick McAuley as the rest of the Hodgson family, and they all did such a great job brining their characters to life.
I had such a fun time watching this movie, and I think any fan of the horror genre will appreciate it. It’s a movie that you don’t want to miss seeing on a big screen with an audience of screaming people. That's half the fun of watching horror films!