Okay, I know that I've done a whole bunch of reviews lately but I have to talk about this movie, mainly because of all the buzz it's gotten. Now The Conjuring is not a masterpiece, its nothing groundbreaking, it's not the greatest horror movie since The Exorcist (even though it certainly channels it), what it is however is a very good spooky movie.
Another thing that I want say is that this movie offered an interesting experience for me. This was the first horror movie that I saw in a ghetto movie theater. I have to say, it's exactly how it's portrayed in various caricatures. I was amazed that the stereotypes were that accurate. I have to admit that I did chuckle a few times due to people shouting out things like "Girl don't go in there!" and "I'd be out!" However have no fear this did not spoil my view of the movie.
This movie was based on a true story, believe it or not. And the film felt like it was pretty feasible. Only a few times, like a scene in the climax, did it feel a bit cinematic. Other than that it felt like it could actually happen in real life, which helped to make the film more terrifying.
The screenplay was uninspired and rather bland. There was nothing in the writing that was groundbreaking or even fresh. But the writing was not what made this movie, it was the directing. With James Wan (Insidious) at the helm, he turned a bland screenplay into a truly frightening picture. The shots were remarkable, from a spinning camera, to closed in shots that make you feel like you can't breathe. The so-called master of modern horror, was also the master of perfect timing for The Conjuring. He made good scares into GREAT ones! The suspense and tension in many parts of the film were positively palpable, and Wan used this to sometimes create scares, let the viewers off the hook to make them let their guards down, or even(in one scene)make a joke. Not to mention the effects which were mostly practical, without the use of much digital or CG junk. Wan wanted to make a movie that hearkened back to the old ways of making horror movies, and like I said before it does have a very Exorcist-ish feel to it. Another thing that certainly added to the horror was the music, which was quite creepy. And as a man of faith I'll also found this movie to be surprisingly inspiring.
The acting was pretty good, most of the movie it was incredible and was very effective at making the movie even more believable. There were a few moments where the acting slipped and became pretty bad, but most of the time it was very good.
Now this doesn't make it a masterpiece, the best horror movie of all time, or even the best of the year (that honor, so far, goes to the re-imagined Evil Dead). However this is a very good horror movie, and a very good movie in general. I recommend it, it's a real scare!
The Conjuring gets a 7/10
-Thanks for listening
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