The scariest thing in the world to me is not exorcisms or demons but the diminishing artistic value of franchises. I have mostly stayed away from horror films of the more generic style such as this for a while now, as the more that are pushed into theaters, the more negative criticisms I hear of them. I definitely consider myself more of a fan of elevated horror or just the kind of film that is terrifying without even trying to be. There are a plethora of opportunities to make something scary and that is the main reason why I have avoided these movies, as my presumption was based on their marketing. I did not ever think that a mainstream horror story like this could make my skin crawl but I made a grave mistake in ignoring this original installment of the now popular franchise. James Wan's The Conjuring is a fantastic horror film that utterly sets the standard for this conventional, Hollywood style. From the haunting true story of this unfortunate family to the dedicated performances and the phenomenal technical pieces, this film has surprisingly exceeded my expectations of what these movies are capable of.
Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are a couple who have devoted their lives to studying supernatural occurrences and taking care of people who seem to be infested or possessed. When Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) move into a new house with all of their daughters, strange things begin to happen and they seek the help of the Warrens to get rid of the malevolent evil. This script, written by Chad and Carey W. Hayes, is what actually surprised me the most about this film. I was completely expecting a lifeless story full of jump scares that many cheaply-produced horror films of today rely on but I was genuinely taken aback when the plot developed beautifully. Based on the true experiences of Ed and Lorraine, this film focuses mostly on the relationships between these families and characters, putting the actual demons and hauntings in the backseat. I loved this storytelling choice, as it makes the audience really feel for what they are going through and the actual stakes of everything. When the horror aspects hit, however, they hit hard. The scarce use of jump scares and creeping paranoia made this experience all the better for me and I loved how well they were all blended together in such an effective story. The climax never felt too rushed or overdone and the small-scale honing in of the family's conflict makes this movie such a personal story. The performances from the entire cast were great as well, especially Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine. The care that they put into these characters is very evident and their chemistry together makes for such a believable couple to root for. They are definitely the right choices for these characters and are easily ones that could lead a franchise (evidenced by the sequels). The child performers in this film stood out to me the most, however, as they were genuinely talented in this horror realm. It's not often when a child actor can portray authentic fear of something but I felt the adrenaline pulsing in me with these children as they went through this traumatic time in their lives.
My biggest takeaway from The Conjuring, despite its completely solid storytelling and development, is how it sets the standard for lots of conventional horror films of today. I had never seen this movie due to its supposed mediocrity and creation solely for the sake of franchising and for that, I thought that I would be disappointed. However, this movie does what I have heard a lot of its sequels and spinoffs do not: have a well-written story with genuine terror. I despise cheap horror and the fact that The Conjuring was the opposite of that took me aback quite a bit; it has really set the Hollywood standard for perfectly balancing its screenwriting with its spooky visuals and I absolutely commend this film for doing that. This true story also could have easily fallen back onto conventional but passable stylistic choices to tell its story but I was blown away by how intriguing every shot of this film was. John R. Leonetti's cinematography combined with the flawless editing from Kirk M. Morri astounded me. Leonetti is able to make such great use of these limited house settings and the wild movements that he performs in this film are mesmerizing. The use of long takes, sweeping pans, and upside-down jolts really help to further the eerieness of the Perron household. Morri's editing contributes so much as well, as it gives this story so much room to breathe. Horror films are usually quickly edited and utilize predictable techniques to get any kind of jump from their audience but the way that Morri lingered on unsuspecting things to draw in the audience and then promptly cuts to something entirely different was fascinating. James Wan's direction is great as well and he is able to fuse these stylistic elements together with the story in a seamless way. His use of all of these parts working together makes such a solid and endlessly enjoyable film. This movie not only provided me with a fantastic story but technical elements to keep my eyes glued to the screen.
The Conjuring is one horror film that I will definitely find myself revisiting, as it presents one of the most compelling and self-contained true stories of the horror genre. Nothing about this film seemed too cheesy or exploitative and the jaw-droppingly gorgeous way that it is made only adds to the enjoyment. Despite the seemingly cash-grab route that these films tend to go in, James Wan has solidified himself among the ranks of today's best horror filmmakers.
My Rating: ★★★★
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