The Conjuring 2 is how a horror sequel should be done. But these dull spots and plot inconsistencies are few and far between. Also, while in the haunted house, they're able to sleep through some horrifying sounds that would snap a bear right out of hibernation. For example, it takes about an hour for the Warrens to even get to England. It also doesn't feel as unique as its predecessor, understandably due to the very nature of sequels, but there are moments that drag on long enough to remind you that the first Conjuring didn't have these plodding plot points. There are a handful of cheap scares, audio scares to be precise - when the music gets extremely loud all of a sudden and you find yourself more annoyed than scared, quickly reaching for the remote to turn the volume down at the risk of enduring another ear drum shattering noise.
Pushing the 2-hour mark is never a good idea for a horror film, and some fat definitely could have been trimmed. Mind you, The Conjuring 2 isn't without its faults. It uses familiar tropes, such as self-starting children's toys, slamming doors, and smashing furniture, but they're used as tools to mask the truly frightening fact that this family is up against something utterly beyond their control - they're hopeless, and we can feel it. The longer the anticipation is built and the more atmosphere is created, the more unsettling the situation becomes until it's like a ticking time bomb that you anxiously wait to go off. That's what true horror lacks these days, patience. His shots are designed in a way to imbue dread and stir it around our heads for a while before hitting us with the scare. The acting is uniformly great, but the true star of the film is James Wan. What The Conjuring 2 succeeds at is giving us both character development and another great story, which is exactly what a good sequel should do. Similar to the Amityville Haunting, the Enfield Haunting sees an English family plagued with a poltergeist that doesn't seem to enjoy the presence of anyone in the house. The Conjuring 2 is another "based on true events" tale that has us follow expert paranormal investigators, the Warrens, this time solving the mystery of the Enfield Haunting. It had the perfect amalgam of horror tropes crafted in such a way that felt as fresh and spine-tingling as classic haunted house movies did in the '80s. James Wan has proved himself a capable producer on projects such as Saw and Insidious, and with The Conjuring, he cemented himself as a master of the genre. It combined every creepy trope you can think of (ghosts, dolls, music boxes, mirrors, you name it), and it actually worked thanks to a genre-savvy director behind the curtains. The Conjuring was a shocking horror film. Reviewed by lnvicta 8 /10 A rare horror sequel that delivers the same quality scares as its predecessor, courtesy of returning puppeteer James Wan. Some awesome, unsettling and creepy music in places too. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed part one, or indeed likes movies of a haunting or possession theme. It's arguable this one is as strong as the first. Also, the central support role of Janet Hodgson is pretty crucial to empathising with the Enfield family and Madison Wolfe gives a solid performance. Wan has really done a great job of this, which is surprising given that he's not from there. What's really enjoyable about this movie, is its nostalgic recreation of 70s England.
The scares come a bit more frequently than in the first movie and do manage to build a lot of tension, even if you've seen the original, so well done to Wan for that. When it's intended to scare, it really does. James Wan's trademark visual style is repeated in this movie - his bag of tricks sometimes yielding a sense of deja vu but generally working like a charm. There are a few new twists this time round, so all does not play out as before - but it's not a complete departure from the format, which might have made it a bit more gripping in places. Once again, a family is being haunted and they fear for their sanity and lives. The Warrens are sent on behalf of the church to investigate some paranormal activity which is whipping up a media storm in Enfield, England and, as per the first movie, they go and attempt to work their magic on the situation. By that, I mean you're pretty much in the thick of it from the get-go, being given some background (via another very notorious haunting incident) for what is to follow. The Conjuring 2 doesn't waste time in bringing the scares in. Reviewed by mungflesh 8 /10 An uncommonly strong sequel
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