The Conjuring 2

2016

 

Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren

Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren

Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson

Frances O’Connor as Peggy Hodgson

 

Directed by James Wan

 

Sigh. Rest in peace, Lorraine Warren. She passed away six days ago (April 18, 2019, age 92). Such a fascinating human. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world, and the peace you gave to troubled souls.

Our favorite paranormal experts and freelance exorcists travel across the pond for this installment in the Conjuring universe. They’re called upon by a priest who’s visited young Janet Hodgson in her home in Enfield, north of London. She’s speaking in a different voice, supposedly that of an old man who used to live in her home. She’s been through some stuff at the house, and the family is terrified. No one takes them seriously, so who else would you turn to? That’s right—the other two people who no one takes seriously. Meanwhile, Lorraine is troubled by visions of a nun and a jagged tree trunk, and worries about losing Ed.

 

This story is scary as hell. I got to watch it IN London the year it came out. I was in an empty theater (apparently people don’t go to matinees of horror films on weekdays?) on my last day in the city, I’d already had a couple of adult beverages, and I enjoyed the HELL out of it.

 

Why?

• Vera Farmiga is freaking awesome. I loved her in the first Conjuring film (see my review elsewhere in the blog!), the Departed, Orphan (see my review), and apparently Bates Motel is fantastic too. She has this incredible sense of empathy that really calms her charges, especially the child Janet in this film. Plus she’s hot.
• It’s England. My true homeland. I love the way the homes are built, sharing walls and gardens. The basements are creepy, but there’s just something about it. The accents. The verbiage. The silly cars and driving them on the wrong side. I’d move there tomorrow if I could. Yes, even into the Enfield house.
• Supernatural stories are so. Much. Fun! I love hearing stories about the people who came before us. It sucks when they’re overtaken by demons who try to trick the living into giving them something, or killing them. But the people who came before had their own lives, and struggles, and triumphs—why wouldn’t we want to know about it?
• Ed and Lorraine are adorable as a couple. He doesn’t want her doing any more investigative work after her Amityville experience, and she doesn’t want him going anywhere without her because of the visions she’s been having. They love each other so much, and it’s inspiring.

 

Weepy Meter:  4/10       Don’t mess with kids. Not cool.

Man Meter:       10/10     It’s creepy as hell. He’ll dig it.

Overall Rating:   8/10       It’s really well done. The story is told in an imaginative way, the characters are vivid, and it’s SCARY!

Photo credit: Photo by Matt Kennedy – © 2015 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Ratpack-Dune Entertainment LLC. All Rights Reserved.