The Conjuring Universe

‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is the final film in “The Conjuring” franchise, which has been wildly popular and a staple in the horror genre since the first film was released in 2013. In total, it is the ninth film in “The Conjuring” universe, which also includes the two “Nun” films along with three “Annabelle” films. While not all of them have been home runs, there is a certain style and craftsmanship that goes into the films which is hard to ignore. Most of all, the films are powered by the powerful performances of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigators who love helping those in trouble, but not as much as they love each other. They are the lifeblood of these films. Without them being the emotional compass, the films would simply be ghost stories with some jump scares here and there.

This film opens in 1964, as Ed and Lorraine Warren are investigating a mysterious murder at an antique shop while Lorraine is pregnant. While there, she comes across a mirror which holds ominous and sinister forces within it, which almost causes her to lose her child, Judy, during childbirth. Fast forward to two decades later, and Judy (Mia Tomlinson) is in a relationship with a former police officer named Tony (Ben Hardy), and they are on their way to meet up with the Warrens for Ed’s birthday party. Ed and Lorraine are in semi-retirement because of Ed’s heart, and they mostly are giving tours on college campuses, which are usually met with jokes about the Ghostbusters. They are struggling to find their purpose in life without being full-time paranormal investigators. Ed has the itch to get back into things, but he needs to look out for his health and slowdown, which isn’t coming naturally to him.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, the Smurl family, which includes the husband, wife, four daughters and two grandparents, are starting to have some real challenges after they come across a haunted mirror that was given as a gift to one of the daughters after her first communion. At the same time, Judy is starting to have visions, the same ones she had when she was younger. Her mother tells her to block them out, but that’s becoming harder to do each and every day. It won’t be long before the Warrens and the Smurls are forced to confront their problems and figure out how they are connected to each other and how they can fix them. If they don’t, it may be fatal for all parties involved.

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is directed by Michael Chaves, who is no stranger to this franchise, having directed the previous “Conjuring” film along with “The Nun 2.” He’s a talented director, and he knows how to create an atmospheric film that is moody and ominous, and he shows off the time and place in which it is set.  Chaves knows how to create haunting horror imagery on screen, but he doesn’t quite know how to make it all pay off in the third act. It also doesn’t help that the film is two hours and fifteen minutes, which makes it the longest film in “The Conjuring” universe. While it held my attention for a very long time, the payoff didn’t feel satisfying.  It left me feeling like the film ended on a flat and rather unremarkable note. All of the performances are top-notch, especially from Wilson and Farmiga. They know how to bring humor, pathos and intelligence to the film.

Overall, this is a case of trying to create the same magic time and time again, but sometimes it simply isn’t there. By no means is this a bad film, but it doesn’t have the impact or power it should have, especially considering this is the final film in this franchise. Of course, they can always do more “Annabelle” or “Nun” films, but as far as “The Conjuring” franchise, this is the end. However, you can’t always believe that when it comes to horror films, especially considering the money this one made. It is entertaining and made with style, but it doesn’t know how to wrap things up in a concise and efficient manner. By the time the shit hits the fan, the film has overstayed its welcome.  These films are best when they are about one hour and forty-five minutes, or maybe two hours. Anything longer than that, and they are overstaying their welcome.  There is no need for this film to be two hours and fifteen minutes.  There are certain scenes which feel like they would have been better as deleted scenes instead of being included in the final cut.

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is a film I enjoyed watching until I started to become disinterested and restless by what was happening on screen. I liked a good majority of it, but as stated previously, it really falls apart in the third act.  It had a feeling of “been there, done that.”  The strong points include the performances of its two leads, the direction of Michael Chaves, and the overall style and look.  Its weaker points include its length and its ending.  I was happy to have watched it and it’s a fun horror movie, but it didn’t have the sense of urgency and power of the previous installments in this franchise.

* * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.  It comes with an impressive slipcover and a digital copy as well. It also comes in a steelbook version.  It has a running time of 135 minutes and is rated R for bloody and violent content along with intense terror.

4K Video/Audio Info: The film comes with a Dolby Vision transfer, which looks perfect on 4K.  The HDR really brings out the dark blacks of the film and creates a spooky experience watching it at home.  The same is true of the Dolby Atmos track, which really pops during the jump scares which are sprinkled throughout.

Special Features:

Last Rites: An Era Ends – featurette

The Conjuring: Crafting Scares – featurette

Michael Chaves: Believer – featurette

Should You Buy It?

As I was watching “The Conjuring: Last Rites” with my wife for the first hour and a half, I was saying to her, “I’m really enjoying this movie.  It has me on the edge of my seat, and the story is unfolding perfectly.” However, all of that good mojo started to fade in the rearview mirror by the time the film was wrapping things up with its third act.  I started to become fatigued and disinterested in the conclusion of the story. It took a long time to get where they needed to go, and when they finally did wrap things up, it didn’t seem to matter much anymore. Still, this is an OK film that will play well on HBO Max or on streaming. I don’t think it’s the kind of film you need to run out and purchase right away, unless you want to own all four of “The Conjuring” films on physical media. I’m still waiting for the second film to hit 4K, which will hopefully be very soon. This film looks and sounds terrific on 4K, and I really liked the slipcover version of it. I really wanted to recommend it, but the ending was flatter than four o’clock.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Bros. to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘The Conjuring’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When it comes to horror movies, you look for them to be written and directed by fans of the genre, as they bring a sense of passion and enthusiasm which might be missing by someone who is just doing it for the paycheck. James Wan burst onto the horror scene in 2004 with his directorial debut, “Saw,” which was written by his college best friend Leigh Whannel. He could have easily coasted with the “Saw” franchise and continued to keep cranking out sequel after sequel with it. Instead, he decided to get in touch with a different side of the horror genre with 2013’s “The Conjuring.” He also directed such films as “Insidious,” “Dead Silence,” “Death Sentence,” “Furious 7,” and “Malignant.”

Our film opens by introducing us to the Perron family, as they move into a farmhouse in Rhode Island which needs a lot of work. The Perron family consists of Roger and Carolyn (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor), their five daughters, and their dog Sadie. As they are exploring the ins and outs of the house, they discover a boarded-up cellar, and that is when all hell breaks loose for this family. Their sanity, peace of mind, and sleep start to become disrupted, and it’s clear there is something in this house which is working against them. They need to fix it if they ever hope to stay together as a family. At this point, they decide to call Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. When you have a malevolent presence, they are the couple to call as they are the expert demonologists.

One of the biggest things “The Conjuring” gets right is the idea that even if they leave the house, this presence will still follow them. I’ve seen so many demonic movies where I ask myself, often out loud, “Why don’t they just leave the house?” It seems like the logical response to this type of activity, but oftentimes horror movies and smart characters don’t go together. Farmiga and Wilson bring humanity, warmth, and intelligence to their characters, as they are playing real people. It would have been easy to portray them as goofy, over-the-top, or silly. While the film has moments of lighthearted humor, it’s done during moments where the story needs levity, such as the introduction of Brad Hamilton and Drew Thomas (John Brotherton and Shannon Kook), a cop and investigator who have worked with the Warrens in the past.

It also helps that the Perron family are likable and grounded in reality and humanity. “The Conjuring” takes its time in allowing the audience to get to know them, spend time with them, and understand their dilemma. They are not just random lambs to be led to slaughter. The film is directed with style, mood, and dread by Wan.  It’s clear he knows how to create a sense of anxiety and uneasiness on screen. He doesn’t rely on jump scares either. Don’t get me wrong, jump scares are effective when done right, but they are like any other gimmick out there: If you rely on them too much, it’s clear you don’t have a solid screenplay. You are creating a haunted house or an amusement park, not a true movie.

“INT PERRON HOUSE – CELLAR Carolyn flips upside down and shoots up to the ceiling John Brotherton (Brad), Vera Farmiga (Lorraine), Patrick Wilson (Ed), Ron Livingston (Roger)”

It blew my mind to discover “The Conjuring” is now 12-years-old. They are set to release the fourth film in the franchise, “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” on September 5th. This is in addition to “The Nun” and “Annabelle” films, which are all part of “The Conjuring” universe. While not all of the films have been great or even good, more often than not, they have been well-made and have proven to be intense thrill rides. You have to give credit to Wan for being able to put his trust in other directors and other writers to showcase their abilities with these films. He has no ego, and he knows the key to remaining fresh is to have new voices in front of and behind the camera. With the original “Conjuring,” the groundwork was created for atmospheric fun, and scary horror movies have been staples of spooky season which is right around the corner. If you are looking to keep your horror movie collection going on 4K, “The Conjuring” on 4K is sure to satisfy the horror community this Halloween season. I hadn’t seen this film in a number of years, and it held up incredibly well on my recent viewing.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Conjuring” is released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It has a running time of 112 minutes and is rated R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror. The film comes in either a 4K slipcover or a 4K steelbook, both of which come with a digital copy.

4K Video Info: This is an impressive 4K release with the HDR really popping during the dark and brooding moments of the film.  The presentation is crisp and vivid without looking too perfect. With a horror movie like “The Conjuring,” it is not supposed to look flawless. It is supposed to represent the vision of the director and the heart and soul of the movie. In every possible way, “The Conjuring” is a homerun.

4K Audio Info: While I would have certainly enjoyed a Dolby Atmos track for this flick, the audio is still noteworthy during the jump scares and the more intense moments. It’s a good audio track, but it could have been a great audio track. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish, and French.

Special Features:

Scariest of Them All (NEW)

Reflections on the Conjuring (NEW)

The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Terror

A Life in Demonology

Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You

Should You Buy It?

HELL YES! I’ve been waiting for this film to get the 4K treatment for a long time now. I own “The Conjuring 3” on 4K, and I hope this will also inspire Warner Brothers to release the second film on 4K in the near future. I imagine the upcoming “Conjuring” film will get a 4K release after it’s done with its theatrical run. I absolutely love these films that encompass “The Conjuring” universe. It’s interesting because I’ve never really connected with the spooky horror films which involve an evil presence or things that go bump in the night. Slasher films have always been my preferred cup of tea. This all changed with the first “Conjuring” film, as I discovered when it was done the right way, they can be just as entertaining as the slasher movies I grew up with, if not more entertaining. This is a top-notch 4K release that also includes new special features in addition to an A+ visual experience. A horror film like this is perfect for the 4K format. This is a day-one purchase for horror fans who love to collect 4K’s on physical media.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.