IN BRIEF: A supernatural tale of demon-possessing that loses its grip as both a horror film and crime thriller.
JIM'S REVIEW: (MILDLY RECOMMENDED)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is an absurd title for an absurd movie. It's a standard horror film trope about demons, ghosts, witches, and exorcisms, with enough cheap scares, grisly special effects, and eerie-sounding music to satisfy any horror film fan.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles in the third chapter from The Conjuring series as Ed and Lorraine Warren, two paranormal investigators who take on a case of murder and supernatural mayhem. Purportedly based on "true" events on July 18, 1981 to be exact, the couple witness the exorcism of eight-year-old David Glatzel. To say that this incident went south is an understatement. Just as Arne Johnson who was there and later accused of murder. Was he drunk? Or was it evil demons? Blame the Coors.
The opening scene is a knock-out of tension and very effective CGI moments, but everything else from that point rarely reaches that level of assurance and skill. From there, the screenplay follows a predictable route as horror films go, but an unpredictable route as a crime thriller when the Warrens ask Arne to plea not guilty due to demonic possession. An interesting case of mitigating circumstances? Blame the judicial system.
Director Michael Chaves uses silence and strong images most expertly to build his suspense. Cereal boxes mysteriously move off shelves. Faucets turn on by themselves. Waterbeds explode. Just a typical day in the neighborhood. But don't go into the cellar! (And call the exterminator already!) As the murder investigation slowly unfolds, so does the unconvincing story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. One store-bought cliché follows the next. Past and present events collide which leads our sleuthing duo to yet another haunting demon-possession story, which never truly gels. The fragmented movie suddenly becomes a police crime thriller, forsaking its haunted house origins. Bad decision. Blame the writer with a very long name.
Despite the good acting by Mr. Wilson and Ms. Farmiga and the fine atmospheric cinematography of Michael Burgess, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It wants to be taken seriously.. But believe me, there is enough blame to go around in this convoluted otherworldly tale. Blame yourself if you see this muddle. (GRADE: C)
JIM'S REVIEW: (MILDLY RECOMMENDED)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is an absurd title for an absurd movie. It's a standard horror film trope about demons, ghosts, witches, and exorcisms, with enough cheap scares, grisly special effects, and eerie-sounding music to satisfy any horror film fan.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles in the third chapter from The Conjuring series as Ed and Lorraine Warren, two paranormal investigators who take on a case of murder and supernatural mayhem. Purportedly based on "true" events on July 18, 1981 to be exact, the couple witness the exorcism of eight-year-old David Glatzel. To say that this incident went south is an understatement. Just as Arne Johnson who was there and later accused of murder. Was he drunk? Or was it evil demons? Blame the Coors.
The opening scene is a knock-out of tension and very effective CGI moments, but everything else from that point rarely reaches that level of assurance and skill. From there, the screenplay follows a predictable route as horror films go, but an unpredictable route as a crime thriller when the Warrens ask Arne to plea not guilty due to demonic possession. An interesting case of mitigating circumstances? Blame the judicial system.
Director Michael Chaves uses silence and strong images most expertly to build his suspense. Cereal boxes mysteriously move off shelves. Faucets turn on by themselves. Waterbeds explode. Just a typical day in the neighborhood. But don't go into the cellar! (And call the exterminator already!) As the murder investigation slowly unfolds, so does the unconvincing story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. One store-bought cliché follows the next. Past and present events collide which leads our sleuthing duo to yet another haunting demon-possession story, which never truly gels. The fragmented movie suddenly becomes a police crime thriller, forsaking its haunted house origins. Bad decision. Blame the writer with a very long name.
Despite the good acting by Mr. Wilson and Ms. Farmiga and the fine atmospheric cinematography of Michael Burgess, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It wants to be taken seriously.. But believe me, there is enough blame to go around in this convoluted otherworldly tale. Blame yourself if you see this muddle. (GRADE: C)