MOVIE REVIEW: The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Horror

Directed By: James Wan

Three years ago I sat in a theater and was reminded what it is like to be truly scared, and I couldn't have been happier for it. James Wan's 2013 film The Conjuring was the first time in my life that I sat in a theater full of people where every single person was terrified of what they were watching, sure I'd seen some good horror flicks on the big screen but none like this. Wan crafted a modern horror masterpiece that deserves to be held up there with other greats such as The Exorcist and The Omen, all of which fall under the category of "I can't watch this alone or I will die". It has been three years since then though and just when I was getting to the point of being able to watch this film without crapping my pants he went and released another one and folks, he did it again, oh man did he do it again. 

The Conjuring 2 picks up roughly a half decade after the events of the first film and tells the story of yet another infamous case from the files of Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga). Utilizing the "James Bond" approach this movie once again opens up on the Warrens in the middle of solving another high profile case that will in turn lead us into the main story. In the first film we saw and were horrified by the Annabelle doll (which would go on to make a highly disappointing spin-off) and this time around we open up on the Warrens investigating the Amityville House, which is maybe the most known paranormal case in history. This a fantastic way to intro these movies and if this franchise keeps going I hope it never loses this approach.

We see Lorraine experience some wonderfully creepy things within the house but it isn't long before we are out Amityville and across the pond in England, North London to be exact. This is where a single mother raising four children in a beat up London home have been experiencing horrible things caused by a mysterious paranormal force. After gaining large media attraction in the UK The Church asks Ed and Lorraine to go out to London and give the house a look over to find out of this is real or a hoax. Upon arrival it is hard for them to find evidence of a malicious spirit but they know something is happening here and they won't leave until this family is safe. 

While the first movie took the "by-the-book's" approach and perfected it, making a paranormal flick that hit all the expected beats but in ways we never thought it would and, in turn, scarring and surprising the hell out of us, this second film strays away from the conventional story tropes and cliches.  For starters, rather than tell another story of a family moving into a new home that is actually haunted (a plot line we have seen reused far too many times) this time we drop in on one that has been living in their home for sometime before the unknown force arrives. This makes it quite a bit more scary if you ask me, as this means one of these malicious spirits can arrive at anytime to terrorize you. 

I'm not one to say I believe in all of this stuff, I wouldn't go as far to say I don't believe either, but the fact that these movies are based off of actual case files of the Warrens and features the ghost hunters themselves as the main characters makes these stories feel all the more real and authentic. When you read the opening lines of the title card, which introduces us to the case we will be watching unfold this time, you can't help but imagine what it was really like for these people. Rooting a horror film in reality is always a smart way to create a terrifying atmosphere.

Though this sequel is most definitely on par with the original as far as scares go I believe this film does a few things even better than the original. One of the biggest areas of improvement was the relationship between the Warrens, though they were well played characters in the first movie we watch them go through a full arc within this film. We actually get to watch as the these two, who have been in love since they met, change not only as people but also in their relationship. Within a truly terrifying film we as an audience are able to connect and care about characters on a level we don't typically see in the genre. Not just between those two either, there is a moment where Ed is entertaining the kids in England that pulls more emotional punches than a majority of the films I've seen this year were capable of. 

One of the biggest treats of watching a James Wan film is watching how he uses the camera and the choices he makes with lighting and set design. Through both of this films you sit there for the entire runtime on the edge of your seat and this is because of the choices Wan makes. The camera is almost always moving, panning across empty rooms and dark hallways and you can bet there is a shadowy corner or doorway within each of these shots. This gives the audience little time to relax as every scene and tracking shot has a legitimate potential to scare the living hell out of you. You see all of this on display in the most masterful way in the scene where a certain painting of a nun is used to pull amazing scares. 

Making a sequel to almost any horror film is a huge risk, you are almost always guaranteed less scares and a subpar story. That's not the case for Wan though as this is now the second successful horror sequel he has made (Insidious 2) and I believe this one actually improves upon the original. He took the most terrifying film I had ever seen in a theater and made a follow up that is just as scary and even more engaging than than the first time around. I think I speak for us all when I say that I cannot wait to see what else James Wan does in the future, this guys knows how to make really good movies. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!