Billed as the concluding story in The Conjuring film franchise, Last Rites opens with claims that this is a true story and that the case it depicts was beyond anything that Ed and Lorraine Warren, the protagonists of the series, had ever faced before. However, this opening claim is roughly the same as was used at the beginning of the previous entries and is no more or less true here. The movie then goes on to tell the story of a haunted mirror, first encountered by the Warrens when Lorraine was young and pregnant with her daughter Judy, that later finds its way into the possession of the Smurl family in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. After the mirror comes into the Smurl home, eerie supernatural events begin to occur.

One thing that this film does well, as is true of The Conjuring movies in general, is set up good scares. The makers behind this series have done their homework in showing just enough creepy imagery to unsettle and frighten the audience, while not showing so much that viewers become inured to it. Any audience member that is prone to being scared by this type of imagery will find much to keep them up at night.

On the other hand, as has also been true in prior entries, this film takes its strength, the subtle gradual build up of terrifying occurrences, and torpedoes it with an over-the-top action extravaganza climax that goes so far overboard that it ceases to frighten. This is particularly troublesome for a series claiming to be based on “true stories” as it detracts from any lingering feelings that any of this could be real.

Another downfall of this entry is the pacing tends to lag. What starts as a fun supernatural thriller begins to drag after a while. Too many scenes are included where not much happens. This film seems like it could have benefited from some additional tightening in the editing process.

Overall, The Conjuring: Last Rites is a bit of a mixed bag. It delivers on the scares that its audience comes for, providing effective frightening imagery. It also both continues and wraps up its world building for its tales of the Warrens. But it can be a chore to sit through at times, the narrative is frequently incoherent, and certain scenes, particularly the climax, take things so far that it breaks the immersion.

3 out of 5 stars

Website: https://www.theconjuringmovie.com/

The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers another thrilling chapter of the iconic Conjuring cinematic universe, based on real events. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return as Lorraine and Ed Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise.

Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy, Beau Gadsdon, John Brotherton, Orion Smith, Madison Lawlor
Directed by Michael Chaves
Screenplay by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, James Wan