All right, this is what a horror movie should be – The
Conjuring is a genuinely scary psychological thriller from James Wan (who
proves he’s got skill and even, dare I say, restraint). Legend (or marketing
hype) has it that The Conjuring (which in terms of violence is tame) was
originally targeting a PG-13 rating, when the MPAA slapped it with an R, when
the studio asked what they could cut to secure the teen friendly rating the
MPAA said, “It’s too scary”. And the studio ran with it.
A rare summer horror film that’s smart, it chronicles two
families – the Connecticut based paranormal investigators The Warrens (played
by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson) and the Perrons, a family that moves into a
Rhode Island farmhouse they recently got a deal on (Lili Taylor and Ron
Livingston). The Perrons notice things that go bump in the night, including a
mysterious basement they didn’t know they had (and of course explore late one
night). The house is just as bad as one you’d find on the East Side of Buffalo –
poorly insolated and reeking out foul meat the family is at wits end when they
seek out Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Warrens often investigate things for which there are
logical conclusions (pipes over heating causing creeks and noises in the middle
of the night for example) but are challenged by what they find at the Perrons.
They bring in external help to document the situation with the hope of convincing
the Catholic Church to provide an exorcism that is until things become life or
death.
The Conjuring is so skillful at what it does (and what it
doesn’t do) – there’s never a boring moment in the film. I think why it is so
successful is that it takes itself seriously and puts drama above those jump
scenes (don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of those too). Simply put there
are many smart directing choices made here including how the action is framed
(often in longer restrained takes). The film puts psychological fear above all
with a first rate cast that nails this material – this is an effective,
engaging, and fun movie.
Screening: Dipson Market Arcade, Dipson Flix, Regal Elmwood, Regal Quaker Crossing, AMC Maple Ridge, Regal Transit, Transit Drive-In
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