The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It- Film Review

The Conjuring : The Devil Made Me Do It is the latest instalment of the Conjuring universe and the third film in the trilogy following the 2016 film. This time it’s not directed by James Wan but rather by Michael Chavez, the director who helmed the Curse of La Llorona, another film from the Conjuring universe, and the stellar cast led by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as our beloved enigmatic paranormal investigators, the Warrens.

Going into this film, I was very nervous. Because James Wan is a shrewd and creative director who has gifted us some of the greatest horror films of the 21st Century. The first two Conjuring films were absolutely phenomenal, and I still perceive the first Conjuring film to be a masterpiece that deserves to join the likes of great films like The Shining or Halloween as one of the greatest horror films ever made. It was James Wan’s creative endeavors that enlivened these films, and to think someone as irreplaceable is Wan was to be replaced by Chavez, the person who gave us the rather forgettable and insipid The Curse of La Llorona, gave me goosebumps. But thankfully I could let out a sigh of relief once the film ended because The Conjuring 3 is leaps and bounds better than La Llorona, and is a satisfactory addition to the growing universe of the Conjuring series.

The Conjuring 3 is not a great film. In fact, it’s the worst of the three films due to its incorporation of horror and dramatic aspects that seemed incompetent compared to its predecessors. But by no means is this a prodigious let down. The third Conjuring film is an ‘okay’ thrill ride for horror movie fans and one of the better entries in this MCU of horror films compared to the first Annabelle film or Chavez’s previous credit, the Curse of La Llorona. The film often shines because of the scintillating performances showcased by Wilson and Farmiga, and even a few scenes had me on the edge of my seat, churned with fear.

Let’s kickstart with the positive aspects of the film. The performances. Yes, the performances were the saving grace of this film. Watching Wilson and Farmiga return as the Warrens was once again a blessing for a fan like me. They are the ones who uphold the film’s rather weak story and make it investing with their superior acting skills. There is always an aura about these two that automatically enhances each scene they are in, and this time the tension surrounding them is heightened due to a flashback sequence that reveals who they were before they picked up such a daunting profession. Their chemistry is amazing and it keeps you engaged because you care for them. To be honest you can put those these two in any horror film at this point under their respective roles and they can augment even the most despicable of horror films. Also, like most horror films there is this priest who is supposedly the key to beating the evil, but in this film the priest we get to see has a poignant backstory that came to me as a pleasant surprise.

Additionally, there are a few good scares in this one. You can tell that Chavez has taken some of the criticism he received from the people disappointed by The Curse of La Llorona- there isn’t an overabundance of jump scares and the ghosts are shown for a considerable amount of time, which makes some scenes-the morgue scene particularly- riveting. There is a scene inside a tunnel near the end of the film that is enthralling to watch because it was executed to perfection.

Okay, lets head on to the negative aspects. Unlike the first two films, both of which beautifully handled their respective stories, the third Conjuring film often loses its tracks and wraps itself with mishaps. The storyline incoherent, and halfway through the film, it kind of fades into uncertainty. Of course, it is pretty nerve-wrecking when you are handling a real-life incident surrounding a case that made the headlines, and an endeavor to stay true to the reality traps you in a bubble that won’t let you move much. But so were the cases of the first two films which James Wan handled meticulously. Here, Chavez tries to proliferate theories of his own and fails to glue the reality to the fiction, which makes the story lose its essence

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Moreover, for a huge chunk of runtime, the film did not feel like a horror film at all. It feels more like a dark, gritty occult fiction featuring the Warrens. This is the least scary film in the entire franchise, and this is attributed to the fact that instead of spirits or ghosts haunting our characters, there is more witchcraft and totems at work. Whether or not Chavez wanted to take a more unconventional route is not succinct enough since dead bodies start moving at a point too, but the incorporation of witchcraft drains away the tension for a considerable amount of time. Additionally, Lorraine gains some inhumane powers that permit her to predict realities and establish a connection with the witch, and this diminishes any substances of realism from the convoluted story. The witch, though very menacing, only appears in full body about three-quarters into the film, and I felt like her backstory got pretty obvious at one point in the film.

Nonetheless, The Conjuring 3 is a good addition to the ever-growing universe of the Conjuring saga, and its only stronghold is its two leads who are absolutely enticing to watch along with a few moments of spark that sent chills down my spine.

I’m going to give The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It a B-.