“The Conjuring” is a throwback to the classic American horror flick.
From the filmmaker who brought scare-fests, such as “Saw” and “Insidious,” James Wan, delivers this time an old-school horror-thriller in “The Conjuring,” which is now playing.
The beautifully shot film skips the modern day gore and CGI and relies on its cast’s performances and classic horror tricks. “The Conjuring,” with its minimal use of digital effects, is a throwback to the ’70s supernatural horror films like such classics as “The Exorcist” and “The Amityville Horror.” Though the film doesn’t leave a lasting chill, it does excel at refining cheap shocks, which might be refreshing to contemporary audiences.
The story is based on a real-life case from famed “Amityville Horror” demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson). The film begins with the happy Perrons family — Carolyn and Roger (Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston) and their five daughters — moving into a huge old farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. At first the film is split between the Connecticut-based Warrens, who are recovering from a recent traumatic investigation, and the newly relocated Perrons, who find they are contending with odors, disturbing sounds and visitations in their new home.
The paranormal investigators and the terrorized family, soon realize they are not dealing with Casper (your typically friendly ghost.) Though the Perron family throughout the film seems to develop into nothing more than innocent victims, the Warrens become complex with their faith-based take-charge, do-it-yourself investigation, which is comforting to the Perrons and the audience alike. The real scene-stealer and gem of the film comes from Farmiga’s performance of a sensitive, upright, devout and compassionate Lorraine. Farmiga’s Lorraine is a compelling and believable mother seeking to help a family in trouble. From Lorraine’s abilities, you are able to see she instinctively knows the minute she arrives that the house is haunted.
-Melissa Unger
