The Conjuring

"The Conjuring" is a high class horror film, its hard not to be scared by it, we care for the characters and the story is compelling enough to make you feel interested the whole time.

Based on true life events, Ed and Lorraine Warren are paranormal investigators set to help a family terrorized by a demon, said to be one of the most terrifying cases of their lives which they hadn't shared with anyone...until now.

First of all, I loved that it takes place in the 70's, I agree completely with director James Wan's point of view that it is almost impossible to make a horror film set in the present. For example, the teenage daughters of the haunted family would be taking pictures of the demons with their iphones and would be posting them on posting them on instagram, basically the demons would turn into the victims and the humans would be the bad guys.

The movie isn't perfect though, there are a few plot holes in it, but still it does have some great scares in it that had me jumping out my seat and I liked the way it builds up tension and lets us know the characters before it starts with all the craziness. Not only is the movie set in the 70's, but it also has the feel of a 70's horror film, with slow zooms and filming styles you wouldn't expect from a modern movie. I really believe James Wan has outdone himself with this movie, I'll even go so far to calling it the scariest movie I've seen in my life. Thank you James Wan for this great movie and good luck with Fast & Furious 7.

I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a great horror film, I guess it gives the feeling audiences must have felt when watching "The Exorcist", "Don't Look Now", or Poltergeist" for the first time.

The Conjuring claims to be based on a true story about one of the Warrens' paranormal investigations. At this point, that fact doesn't quite matter, especially when this is mostly designed as a horror movie. And as a horror movie, its job is to offer real terror and take any ghostly elements seriously. The film isn't actually trying to give newer scares. This is old school stuff, but good old school horror movie stuff. This is the kind that gets to do more than pull off another jump scare trick. Another benefit the movie got is its director, James Wan, who delivers a crafty storytelling. The Conjuring is not terribly innovative, but I don't think it needed to. It's the execution that keeps everything so gripping, and I think we needed that in this suffering era of the genre.

The story is actually more than the haunting of the Perrons. The first act juxtaposed between their situation and the life of the Warrens. The Warrens side is a fascinating little exposition of their daily life and job, while the Perrons are introduced like any typical horror film that has a haunted house and family in it, the danger is slow burn until they get to realize they needed help. What makes this somewhat different from those clichés is we are also supposed to root and care for the investigators, like we do not want them to be harm by the spirits as well. For that, the tension becomes much effective.

Even at the less scary scenes, the film is also interesting. And yes, all the characters are worth rooting for. The major ones get their own stories told at the beginning and some flashbacks in the middle of the mystery. The performances are pretty enjoyable as they take the viewers into the characters' mind. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are excellent at exploring their roles and whatever they do are totally intriguing. Lili Taylor is engaging enough for shifting her character's innocence to something terrifying.

Most of the credit goes to director James Wan who makes it all compelling. We already accepted that jump scares are inevitable to our modern horror movies, but the better scares go when it shows its campiness, like the creepy update of the Annabelle doll, and some demonic masks and makeup. They are unlike to today's tricks that depend on gore and repetitive noise. There is also genuine terror can be felt in the quiet scenes. The finale is kind of ridiculous, but it's filled with energetic action which makes the ride even much fun. Apart from the scary stuff, the film continues to employ its style that serves a lot of magnificent shots. This could be one of the best looking movies I've seen this year. The music score brings sorts of good chills.

The Conjuring is no groundbreaker, but the film is best at recapturing the classic horror. Extra merit is fleshing out and adding depth to the story which made the ghost hunting investigation more thrilling. The craft is amazing and the performances are terrific. I think it has most of the things that lack in our horror films today; curiously setting the pieces together, relateable characters, good creeps, and full insanity. The Conjuring isn't meant to change the game, but because of the filmmakers' ambition and love for the genre, it is a marvelous experience.

The key with The Conjuring is not that it has freshness on its side, as evidenced by the ream of horror fans arguing on internet sites about "nothing new on the table" , but while those fans will be going hungry for a very, very long time, The Conjuring does everything right for the splinter of horror it deals with.

There's a lot to admire about a horror film that in this day and age stands tall and proud against the ream of remakes, sequels and teen friendly slashers that "haunt" the multiplexes with all too much frequency these days. Free of gore and sex, this was automatically going to alienate a good portion of the lustful members of the horror fan base, but for those who like their horror served with appetising scares and a cauldron of suspense, then this delivers plenty to your particular table.

Forget the "based on a true story" tag, since it's kind of irrelevant in this new technological age, it's a selling gimmick that actually means "this story might be true and we might have played with it a bit". Regardless of hoax charges and embellishments, just buy into the premise, commit to it as a scary story in the same way as director James Wan has, for then the rewards are there for the compliant.

Story essentially is based around an investigation in the early seventies by paranormal specialists Ed and Lorraine Warren, who aided the Perron family as they were victims of dreadful supernatural events at their Rhode Island home. Wan builds it deftly, letting us into the Perron families lives as they move into what they believe to be a dream home. Then things start to happen, but again Wan builds it in slow instances, creating a palpable sense of dread, his camera work intelligent. So when the big moments come they have maximum impact and have us also yearning for the Warren's to get involved.

There is no over killing of the boo-jump scares, they are placed with care and marry up superbly with the mounting tension. Naturally all the cliché conventions of the haunted house movie are here, strange smells, creaky doors, ominous cellar and etc, yet these are supplemented with Wan's talented knack for a good scare and a very effective production design. From mysterious bruises and literal leg pulls – breath holding games of hide and seek – to bona fide pant soiling moments, The Conjuring is a lesson in sustained unease until the big finale is unleashed.

The script is devoid of cheese and pointless filler, itself refreshing in a horror sub-genre that suffers often with these problems. Joseph Bishara's musical score is an absolute nerve shredder, and again it's a refreshing accompaniment because it doesn't resort to telegraphed shrieks to tell us to be afraid, it never overwhelms a scene. John Leonetti's cinematography has Gothic textures, both in the house and outside of the lakeside farmhouse, while the strong lead cast of Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston come up trumps for sure.

Met with critical and box office success, The Conjuring justifies its reputation as a superb haunted house movie. 9/10

"Don't summon the devil, don't call the priest ..."

I was one of a lucky few to have seen The Conjuring at a preview screening for FrightFest 2013.

I went in totally cold, not having seen a trailer, nor knowing anything about the story or plot and it turned out to be one of the best scary horror movies I have ever seen.

The Conjuring is a nail-biting, hiding-behind-hands movie. If you've been disappointed with the likes of Paranormal Acivity and Insidious, this one is likely to deliver in areas where they failed.

It tells the supposedly true story of two paranormal investigators, who aim to rid families and properties of their suspected supernatural visitations, either by disproving them (if they turn out to be just creaky floorboards or slamming doors) or tackling them head-on if not. A leap of faith is required to buy into this theme but if you're okay with it, then the movies plays out pretty well within its genre confines.

The particular incident they are brought in to deal with is described as surrounding a spirit 'so malevolent' it was hidden from the public until only now. In fairly Amityville-like circumstances, a family move into a new house and discover the basement is sealed; boarded-up behind a doorway.

It's not at all surprising what follows, once they decide to take a look in the basement but it is surprising how James Wan has managed to take such a tired theme of haunting and possession and revive it so convincingly.

I am no stranger to these kind of movies but this one truly tops them all for tension and terror. I really enjoyed Sinister recently, which I found to be equally as scary but it lost its way a bit towards the end, whereas The Conjuring keeps tempo and has a fairly satisfying conclusion.

I particularly liked the way the film took a turn for the comical somewhere in the middle, only for perhaps five minutes, then came back firing on all cylinders as it headed to the finale. If this was intentional, to lure us into a false sense of security, it worked beautifully.

If you're the type to poo-poo this genre in general, I can't see you suddenly being converted to a believer but, if you enjoy classic horror like The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror and Poltergeist, I can almost guarantee The Conjuring won't disappoint.

Adequate and decent horror picture in which a family falls into supernatural terror filled with scary events , chills and lots of scares . Another creepy film in which keeps horror with yet another haunted house that causes creepy goings-on in a family such as the followings classic pictures : the original ¨Exorcist¨ film (by Friedkin) that spawned a wave of demonic possession movies that continues unabated today as ¨Changeling¨ (by Peter Medak), ¨Amytiville ¨(by Stuart Rosemberg) are two further examples of this sub-genre . Supernatural terror plenty of weird phenomenon , frights , scary beings , shocks , and eerie happenings . It deals with the Perron family formed by father (Ron Livingston) , mother (Lili Taylor , she researched The exorcist (1973) to prepare for her role) and five children move into an old house . Eight generations of families lived and died in the house before the Perrons moved in , but little do they know that the house is haunted . And some of the spirits from the families never left , deaths include two documented suicides, a poisoning death, the rape and murder of an 11-year old girl, two drownings, and the passing of four men who froze to death . Most deaths occurred within the Arnold family from which the nasty ghoul Bathsheba Sherman was descended . Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson , this movie marks the third collaboration between James Wan and Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) work to help the family terrorized by a dark presence and ghastly mysteries in their farmhouse . There are three phases in this strange process : 1 : infestation , 2 : oppression and 3 : possession . They are attempting to find out the bottom of rare deeds by ways of the cellar and soon the poltergeists make their nasty appearance originating a lot of unusual rattles and creaks . The mediums seek to uncover the fantastic secrets that has left a witch dangerously connected to the real world .

This is a haunted house movie that contains restless horror as when the invisible and threatening beings attack . It includes usual poltergeists phenomenon caused by the scary entities with the ordinary ghastly shenanigans , the cracking floors , birds manifest as attackers , doors suddenly slam , screeching shouts , violent hitting , among others . Tension , creepy atmosphere , genuine chills , suspense is continued and appear lurking and menacing into dining room , hallway , basement and rooms . Great loads of screams , shocks , exploitation and terror abound with the usual poltergeists phenomenon caused by the scary entities . It's recreated with magnificent make-up and high grade plethora special effects which are frightening and horrifying the spectator . Based on real events , in fact Lorraine Warren and Andrea Perron served as consultants to director James Wan and the screenwriters , they both claim the movie is accurate to the real story of what happened to the Perrons during the 10 years they lived in the farm house ; as they investigated the Perrons' Rhode Island farmhouse in 1973 and 1974 . The film was given an R rating by the MPAA . The MPAA said simply that the film was so scary that there were no cuts or edits possible that would make it a viable PG-13 film ; the filmmakers did not want to alter the film's tone and accepted the R-rating without any appeals . The movie broke box office records after bringing in a total of $41 million at the box office during its opening weekend . It stands as the third highest grossing opening weekend for an R-rated horror film behind Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) and Hannibal (2001). The Conjuring made a total of $137 million at the box office.

Eerie musical score by Joseph Bishara creating a spooky atmosphere ; not only marks the second film composer Joseph Bishara has scored a James Wan film, but it is the second time he has played a demon figure for Wan , as he portrays the demon embodiment of Bathsheba Sherman and previously played a lipstick-faced demon in Insidious (2010). Dark as well atmospheric cinematography by John R. Leonetti who modeled the film's cinematography and atmosphere after vintage 1970s horror films. The film was well directed by James Wan and it was shot in just a few weeks . Wan is an expert writer and filmmaker on terror genre as he has demonstrated in ¨Saw¨ saga , ¨Dead silence¨, among others . James Wan also directed his biggest success ¨Insidious¨ equally starred by Patrick Wilson and similar technician team , cameraman : John Leonetti and musician : Joseph Bishara . And of course , it was followed by ¨Insidious Chapter 2¨ . Furthermore , producers are preparing ¨Insidious 3¨ and ¨The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist¨.