The Conjuring 2 — Blue Fairy Film Blog

The Conjuring franchise operate on one basic idea: Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a bigger force than ourselves? Like the first film, this sequel surmises that there’s something larger at work in the universe, that there’s more to the world than what we can see, and that evil can be vanquished if you just special incantations and symbolism. The plot is based on a case from the files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, which they took in 1977. This English event was supposedly one of the longest and most documented examples of the paranormal in history. The first film, ingratiated itself to us not only because it shares a history with The Amityville Horror, but because its production takes influence from films like The Exorcist and The Omen. This film tries to say, “Believe us. There’s something to fear.”

Straight off the bat it’s important to note that this is a widely contested case. Many people believe that what was documented by television cameras and audio recordings was the mere performance of a very talented and imaginative little girl who could create a deep voice at will. While the film shows the Warrens (Farmiga and Wilson) attending to this family in-depth, they were actually only there for several days and another investigator did much of the work the year before. The question of veracity seems to be the most important element of this film. The first used an example of a scared couple with a rickety attic to illustrate their genuine protocol and beliefs. This film splays the entire story out for the audience, calling every aspect into question, though there’s still effects that show the true ghosts hiding in plain sight. It’s not until the very end that the film decides whether or not it believes this family, yielding to more mythology surrounding faith and religion.

What these films have going for them, besides nostalgia, is their confidence in their story’s legitimacy. The Warrens are shown as fine people who love each other, believe in God, and only want the best for their subjects. While this is definitely not true fact, it’s ingratiating. It’s nice to see two people who have values and morals take on evil with impressive zeal. It worked well in the first film, when director/writer James Wan established their story, and it works well in this sequel. What doesn’t work is the need for multiple apparitions, complex demonology, and a beginning scene at Amityville, where real people, in actuality, were murdered forty years ago. When things are kept simple and rudimentary, it’s a truly frightening film, but when it tries to steady itself by invoking its history and references, the film swallows itself whole.

If you like Wan’s films, or you truly believe in the supernatural accounts of the Endfield Poltergiest, Amityville, or the Perron family, you’ll find a lot to love about this horror sequel. If you’re burned out from watching Annabelle, I promise you this is a much better, more self-aware, and generally less annoying. While not an equal to the first film, this is a grisly send-up that will still frighten or in the least creep you out.