The Conjuring 2 (2016) Warner Bros./Horror RT: 134 minutes Rated R (terror, horror violence) Director: James Wan Screenplay: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes, James Wan and David Johnson Music: Joseph Bishara Cinematography: Don Burgess Release date: June 10, 2016 (US) Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Frances O’Connor, Madison Wolfe, Lauren Esposito, Patrick McAuley, Benjamin Haigh, Simon McBurney, Franka Potente, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Simon Delaney, Bob Adrian, Robin Atkin Downes, Shannon Kook, Sterling Jerins. Box Office: $102.5M (US)/$320.4M (World)
Rating: ***
Much has been made about the veracity of The Conjuring 2 in its depiction of the Enfield Poltergeist haunting. Shortly after seeing it, I found an article comparing the events of the movie with what allegedly happened in real life. The gist is that the movie exaggerates on many points including the Warrens’ actual involvement in the case. It’s said that they investigated the case to a much lesser degree than indicated in the film, showing up uninvited and staying only one day. If this was a different type of article, I could point out several so-called inaccuracies and untruths. But it’s not and I won’t. I’m here to judge The Conjuring 2 on its own merits. The only thing that matters is whether or not it’s an effective horror film. The answer is an emphatic “YES!”
Like its 2013 predecessor, it harkens back to a time when scary movies were actually scary. A time when movies like The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror and Poltergeist had audiences screaming, gripping their armrests for dear life and jumping out of their seats. The Conjuring 2 definitely belongs in that class. It’s just as good as the first movie. That alone makes it stand out among all the tepid, inferior sequels that get made solely for monetary gain. However, it’s not the ONLY thing about it that makes it worth seeing. It’s good on many levels including the most important one, it’s scary. Instead of relying on cheap scares-e.g. the sudden loud noises that accompany the appearance of a CGI-rendered specter- the scare scenes in The Conjuring 2 are organic.
Director James Wan knows how to work an audience. He generates genuine fear and suspense by way of perspective and allowing us to see exactly what he wants us to. There are several great “BOO!” moments, but Wan doesn’t rely solely on that. He avoids traditional jump-scare edits in favor of old-fashioned camera tricks like staying on one shot as the world surrounding it becomes terrifying. There’s a great scene where Ed Warren (Wilson, Insidious) talks to a possessed girl. The camera stays tight on Wilson’s face with the background obscured. Ed’s back is to the girl, he can only hear her speak in a demonic voice. We can see that she’s taken on the form of an old man. Basically, we’re seeing what he’s imagining. It’s rather clever.
Wan is obviously a big fan of old school horror movies. It makes perfect sense then to open The Conjuring 2 with a direct link to one of them. Ed and Lorraine Warren (Farmiga, Bates Motel) are at a certain house in Amityville, NY attempting to determine if a demonic presence contributed to the horrific murders in November ’74. During a séance (conducted not long after the Lutz family fled the house in terror), Lorraine astral projects and encounters something that traumatizes her. She also has a vision of her husband’s death. The story jumps ahead to 1977 London where the Hodgson family, led by single mum Peggy (O’Connor, Mansfield Park), starts experiencing strange paranormal activity in their Enfield council house. It all seems to be centered on 11YO Janet (Wolfe, Keanu) who starts sleepwalking and having conversations with herself in two different voices. Then come the strange noises and furniture moving by itself. The media gets involved. During an interview, Janet reveals she’s being possessed by the spirit of Bill Wilkins, an old man who died in the house right before they moved in.
The church asks Ed and Lorraine to investigate, but she’s still struggling with her paranormal PTSD and doesn’t think they should get involved. She only reluctantly agrees to it and off they go to London where they work with two other paranormal investigators, Maurice Grosse (McBurney, The Theory of Everything) and Anita Gregory (Potente, Run Lola Run). Both are real life paranormal investigators who also looked in the Enfield case.
The Conjuring 2 is well-crafted, well-written and well-acted. Wan has an innate understanding of the genre; he knows what scares us. Even though Dead Silence wasn’t all that great a movie, it nicely played on the fear of ventriloquist dummies held by some (or many). I can see where people would find those things creepy. In the first Insidious movie, he suggested that something evil waits in the realm occupied by the comatose. The Conjuring 2, like The Exorcist, has a single mother fighting with demonic forces (a stand-in for hormones?) for control of her preteen daughter. Wan wisely avoids turning The Conjuring 2 into a special effects show, using them only sparingly. This, in turn, makes the apparitions more frightening. The “Demon Nun” and “Crooked Man” figures are legitimately scary.
Wolf, as Janet, perfectly captures the fears of a little girl who has no idea what’s happening to her. She can still be scary when she needs to be though. Wilson and Farmiga turn in solid work as the Warrens. O’Connor is fine as Janet’s mother, but her character lacks the depth of Lili Taylor’s character in the first Conjuring.
My only real complaint about The Conjuring 2 is that it’s a bit too long. The narrative could have used some tightening up. It’s never boring though. Also, Wan has a great eye for period detail; the girls’ bedroom walls are adorned with posters of David Soul (of Starsky & Hutch) and the Bay City Rollers. However, the use of The Clash’s “London Calling” is an anachronism (the song came out in ’79). It’s still a damn good horror movie though. It’s scary, intelligent and a whole lot of fun.
