Horror Recommendations: The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
The Conjuring 2: Directed By James Wan
In One Sentence: A dynamic power couple of ghost hunters are having a difficult time deciding how to take on a spirit being used by a demon across the pond in Britain hellbent on killing Ed Warren.
Why You Should Watch: Aside from James Wan being the new horror genius on the block, this film has moments that really leave you crippled by the fear it drives deep into your bones. The mad couple of Ed and Lorraine Warren are still hunting down demons for their weird serial killer status trophy collection of all the people they have saved from sure doom. The movie’s backstory does a tremendous thing and dives into one of the most famous and equally terrifying stories based on supernatural powers; The Amityville Horror. From here, the couple decide that people are considering them a hoax. Yada yada plot thickens should we do this forever for the sake of the church (seriously they get paid to do this).
Meanwhile over in England there’s a poor lassie being tortured by a spirit of a creepy old guy. Now, I have to say, James Wan is a horror film bastard and a half for providing new, pivotal ways of terrifying people. Remember the old idea that once it is light outside, you’re safe? Well Wan decides to throw that idea out the jolly window with The Conjuring 2. Two of the most memorable scenes in terms of possessing pure terror happen in broad, middle of the day light outside. With this happening, Wan also probably has created an iconic scene to go down in history with what is known as ‘The Painting Scene’ (you will know it when you see it).
It’s hard not to sit and hang from Wan’s cinematic junk here, as often horror movies are directed rather poorly or casually to produce maybe one simple jump scare, but here Wan is not only fucking with the movie characters, he is downright toying with viewers. In this demon seed inception film, the old man’s spirit is laughing, with the overarching real source of devilry Valek laughing, to Wan personifying the crooked man himself by laughing at us being scared by a television screen in the middle of the day.
So the Warren’s take a step in to help out, finding out there is something incredibly paranormal happening here, while scientific values and church aesthetics argue in their own corner. There’s an open wound of hopelessness in this one, as there are many hints foreshadowing nothing but destruction, demise and displeasure. The film does such a stellar job at setting up how it will finish that it’s hard to not be sucked in by the demon’s power yourself. Also, it must be said that this spirit/demon combo did not give a shit about showing itself, as it played games with the cops, psychiatrists, the family and anyone else outright. Yea, go ahead and think it is not there while you are texting your high school sweetheart, it will dive into the text and corrupt your words and make you the bad guy.
This film also did a great job in giving a shit about its characters. There is a genuine care for the family being haunted, because they are at the end of their wits as much as the people trying to help are. Poor mum.
Apparently they are going into the character of ‘The Nun’ as another spinoff, which will be one amazing film if this demon does horror in that film as it did here.
Favorite Line: “Come on, Bill. You’re not a psychiatrist, and we’re not here to talk about my father. What do you say we get down to business?”
