June 10th marked the release of the much anticipated Conjuring sequel, inviting thrill-thirsty viewers to embark on another adventure with paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. The two movies (the first released in 2013) focus on the couple and their actual stories documented in the 1970s. Perhaps the possibility of truth that lies within these films is what makes them so haunting, or maybe it's the constant pop-ups that keep your adrenaline pumping for two hours in the movie theater. Horror fans and critics alike have been raving about the film for the past month, praising director James Wan and main actors Patrick Wilson (Ed) and Vera Farmiga (Lorraine) for "fantastic talent, chemistry and vision." Following the events of the first movie, Ed and Lorraine head to Enfield, a burrow of London, England to investigate the case of a young girl and her family being haunted by a demonic presence. The twists and turns of the story keep the viewer on edge at all times and it is definitely one of the scariest new films out, but the movie has much more depth than just another horror sequel. For me and many other Conjuring fans, the movie is less about the jumps and more about the love story.
Several reviews noted the movement of The Conjuring 2 as slow and tedious because Ed and Lorraine arrive a bit late to the action—a large portion of the film tells two separate stories at the same time. The Hodgson family encounters more and more paranormal activity in England while Ed and Lorraine combat skeptics and reporters stateside. Although some considered this to be monotonous and were ready to see the Warrens kick some serious demon butt, the separation allowed the viewer to experience the intimacy of the duo. The director moves you to be so united with Ed and Lorraine that you would never wish to see them fail—as paranormal investigators or as a married couple.
There are lines throughout the film that tug on the heartstrings, making the Warrens feel even more genuine. They both speak of their personal struggles that lead to finding each other, and how as soon as they found someone who could understand their unique gifts and paranormal intuitions, they immediately married them. There's a sweetness in Lorraine's eyes, portrayed flawlessly by Farmiga, that can bring a viewer to tears (I can't be the only one, right?) when Ed sings Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love in a moment needing pure comfort and union. These specific details aren't meant to give too much away about the film—after all, it's a horror flick first and foremost. But the romance behind every bump in the night makes the movie all the more powerful.
Fans are already expecting a third Conjuring, possibly centering around the Warrens' investigations of the Amityville cases. The next sequel might take a few years, though, considering the second movie released six years after the first.
If your taste in movies usually veers away from the scary ones, consider The Conjuring films anyway. The incredible filmmaking accompanied with the powerful backbone of the story, based on true events, makes these movies much more than just a film to make you jump.
