The Conjuring 2 Review: A Solid Sequel

The Conjuring” has relit the public’s interest in the paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. The movie was so successful that a spinoff was released (“Annabel”) and just recently a sequel. This sequel, though not as great as the first, still offers plenty of scares.

After the Warrens (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) investigated the Amityville case, they are called once again to investigate a struggling family living in England. This family claims that a girl is being controlled by a spirit named Bill who wants his house back. Meanwhile, Lorraine is also being haunted by a demonic nun.

First, the main plot. It’s the typical child is haunted by a spirit and the rest of the family suffers because of it. Because this is based on real life, beggars can’t be choosy. The difference here is that the spirit is a lot more active than is normal in these movies and has a lot more tricks up its sleeve.

Lorraine’s subplot is much more interesting in that this spirit has been haunting her for a while. Though this subplot may come off ass filler, it’s actually a Chekov’s gun and it goes off in a unique way. It’s actually a breath of fresh air to see this kind of thing in a genre that has become stagnant in recent years.

The scares are many and come at you like a freight train. Yes, there are jump scares, but unlike many movies that offer just that and nothing more, this movie follows up in a way that will scare the living daylights out of you. They are also cleverly done.

The cinematography is excellent here. There are plenty of smooth transitions, such as one scene where it transitions from night to a rainy day that looks solid. There are others that look amazing, but they are spoilers so you have to see them.

The movie isn’t all that perfect, though. It’s a bit too long and, like the first movie, there is a lot of minor things stuck in. One of them is Ed Warren playing Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” on the guitar to the family. While it is a heartwarming gesture in context, it looks a bit lame seeing as how Ed is sporting Elvis’s hairstyle in this movie.

Another downfall is the “Crooked Man.” We do get to see this “Crooked Man,” but he is showed in one of the worst CGI models you’ll ever see. He looks so fake that you don’t know whether to laugh or be scared.

The acting overall is solid, but there are some cringe-worthy moments. One of the worst moments comes from Lorraine when she confronts the supernatural. There is so much ham in these scenes that “Boar’s Head” is thinking about suing her.

“The Conjuring 2” may not be up to the first movie’s standards and may have some downfalls, but with solid scares, amazing cinemography and most of the acting this is a joy to watch for horror fans.