One of the least successful movie genres today is the Horror genre. Modern day horror films consist of uninspired plots, cheesy dialogues, predictable plot twists, several scattered jump scares and many other minor inconveniences in between. So, when The Conjuring released in 2013, critics and moviegoers alike were surprised and amazed that a horror movie could come out of its stereotype. Three years later, its sequel (The Conjuring 2) is announced to the public with much speculation as to how it would hold up to its predecessor, and on June 10th, 2016, the movie finally released with many positive reviews, earning an 8.1/10 on IMDb, a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes (also labeled as Certified Fresh) and a wide audience acclaim. So, was the film really that intriguing? Or, was this just an overhyped sequel?
PLOT SYNOPSIS: Set in 1976, demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren are back at it again investigating the infamous Amityville horror to find out whether or not it was really influenced by the supernatural. After receiving a vision of Ed's death while in a different supernatural realm, Lorraine is spooked and begins to have second thoughts about their occupation. One year later, the setting changes to London, England as we now follow the Hodgson family; a household that consists of a single mother raising four kids. With the harmful spirit harassing the family more and more, it's up to the Warrens to help. But after Lorraine's vision, will she be willing to once again put her and her husband in danger?
PROS: Overall, this movie is put together brilliantly! The acting presented by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga (Ed and Lorraine Warren, respectively) made me feel very engaged with every scene. The children in the film portrayed their counterparts well, holding nothing back. In any scene they were given, they acted through it flawlessly. The cast, obviously, clicked with each other very well.
The writing for this film is another thing it has going for it. Every scene presented in this film is bone chilling. And even then, the film didn't rely on its jump scares or buckets of blood to be a successful horror movie. Whatever emotion the movie wants you to feel, you will feel the desired emotion. Not only are there some terrifying moments in the film, but some sweet and genuine ones as well.
On a side note, something interesting about this movie is that the majority of it is based on the same case file from 1977. This means that, other than a couple of minor facts, this film is accurate to a real case film. I'm serious. Google it. About 90% of this movie was taken straight from that case file. This (for me, at least) makes the film that much more terrifying.
CONS: With that being said, The Conjuring 2 can be a bit predictable at times. The film also plays out a lot like the first one. So, for those who have seen this film's predecessor, this may seem a bit repetitive as well. But, honestly, that's all the negative I have to share. The film was very well put together.
CONCLUSION: Although repetitive and a bit predictable at times, The Conjuring 2 stands out among the rest of the Horror crowd. If you want to get very technical, then maybe this film sequel isn't the most original. But, I guarantee you that it will terrify you out of your wits!
HOWEVER, I will throw out a DISCLAIMER for anyone and everyone who has read to this point. If you aren't a big fan of horror or if you are easily scared, don't see this movie. If you're thinking about seeing it alone, do not! As much as I love horror movies, this movie terrified me. I would never think about seeing this movie by myself! This movie is for people who can handle tense moments for long periods of time, and believe me, the whole runtime is constant terror and intensity.
Overall, I give this movie a 4/5.
