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The Conjuring: Last Rites Review- Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson Bow Out with More Drama, Less Horror
The famed horror series, Conjuring, returns for its ninth and final instalment as the Warren family is haunted by one of their own.
Name: The Conjuring: Last Rites
Director: Michael Chaves
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy
Writer: Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Rating: 2.5/5
Plot
Ed and Lorraine Warren have gotten old and laid rest to their years of investigations and exorcisms, which have saved countless families. But the past returns to knock on their doors as a previously ignored haunted object follows them to their new lives alongside their daughter Judy and her boyfriend. As the Smurl haunting unfurls, so do their fears, which they must now face. Will they choose to eliminate the terror faced by a needy bunch or ignore it for their family’s peace?
The Conjuring: Last Rites tackles Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson’s return from their retirement with a fervent pitch seldom seen in horror franchises. The Warrens draw the curtains on their long living legacy with jump scares aplenty, but with little surprise. We go into the details below.
What works for The Conjuring: Last Rites
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. The two who have long starred as the perfect pair of paranormal investigators come back to their roles with a confident familiarity. It’s like the film makes them take a good page out of their own book and present it to the world. Talking about the horror meter, there are enough ugly-looking appearances from the dolls, especially Annabelle, who have been franchise favorites. A few jump scares will manage to make the hair at the edge of your arms stand and stay in that state for an uncomfortably long time.
The film manages to give a good end to the long-running success of the Conjuring series for fans. It brings back the characters of Ed and Lorraine Warren to give them one last shot at being the saviors, and they take it with both hands. The three spirits that make up for the horror element look scary for the most part, with the addition of the doll named Susie bringing the bone-chilling element. The blood oozing out of Lorraine’s kitchen sink and later from the Smurl attic was also an unexpected element, bringing one good change to the screen. Judy, being the medium for the spirits and their spell-cum-nursery rhyme trick, holding on to the end, also adds another nod-worthy bit to the story.
What does not work for The Conjuring: Last Rites
The repetitive shockers, executed in similar patterns, become monotonous after a point. So the doll is walking backwards, what about it? We’ve seen it before, and hence the spooky element has been thrown out of the window. The makeup done on the dolls and the spirits is nothing new and gets acceptable rather than being scary after a point. Similarly, the Smurls, especially the couple in the household, appear very fake to the eye, rather than being a group of concerned individuals looking for a solution to the haunting in their house. The series also managed to make Ben Hardy’s character of Tony Spera a very basic, sidelined piece in the game, rather than giving him any crucial bits. Moreover, there are too many emotional and family-bonding moments, which dilute the horror element rather than enhancing tit.
Final Verdict of The Conjuring: Last Rites
For its last run, The Conjuring: Last Rites keeps it bland with little pockets of fun floating around, waiting for you to catch. While usually the hunt for these parts would be enjoyable, it only makes the film seem like a lost effort at times. It appears to be more of a nod to the franchise for the die-hard fans of the films rather than a standalone aiming for success on its own two feet, which many may even enjoy, but we see it as a big drawback to what could’ve been a fantastic, thrill-filled cap knock. The film leaves room for the return of another part, but we’re hoping the Warrens get some much-needed rest.
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