Film: The Conjuring

Director: James Wan
Genre: Horror
Source: USA (2013)
Rating: R
Location/Format: Raleigh Theaters
Grade: C-

This is pretty standard haunted house fare. I have to say, I'm not sure why it's getting all the love it is. Perhaps I'm not enough of a connoisseur of the genre, but it seems to hit pretty standard notes, though granted at times it does so quite effectively. I almost feel like director James Wan is trying to do a horror movie infomercial, trying to throw everything he can into the mix: "You want witches? We got 'em. How about possessions and exorcisms? Why not? Sinister kids? Absolutely. Psychics? Couldn't make a haunted house movie without 'em. Throngs of birds? Docu-style footage? Pale ghostly figures? Yes, yes, and yes! Act now and we'll even throw in a creepy-ass doll for free!"

Granted, I did spend enough time looking slightly off-center, and I did see it at 1 in the afternoon, but I just didn't see it breaking much new ground, other than the ground of saying it's based on a true story and then totally giving Vera Farmiga absolute psychic powers. That was a bit silly.

On the other hand, though. That doll. That was pretty terrifying.

This was fine, but it wasn't "Has to Be Rated R Scary" as its being advertised. Both The Ring and Wan's own Insidious still top it in my book.

Alternate Film Title: "Troubled by Ghosts? You Should Be Catholic"