Conjuring 2, The (2016)
Staci Layne Wilson
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Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O’Connor
Directed by James Wan
It’s the late 1970s, and all-American demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga) have just come off their most challenging case yet: the Amityville Horror. We go into that house, with its all-seeing eyes, windows to its black soul, with Lorraine as our guide. She embodies the evil that dwells there in the form of Ronald “Butch” DeFeo, Jr., the man who massacred his whole family within those walls just a few years before. But the sinister spirit who orchestrated the slaughter is much, much older. Still, it’s no match for those of faith, and poof! Off it goes to the netherworld from whence it came.
Post-Amityville exorcism, Lorraine is depleted, exhausted, and yes, afraid. Even the home she shares with Ed and their daughter is haunted (which makes one wonder just how effective their spook-scaring skills could’ve been). It seems there’s no escape, and there is certainly no rest for the wicked. A capricious ghost is wreaking anarchy in the U.K., and the only hope for relief is the Warrens.
Based on actual reported events from 1977 till 1979 in Brimsdown, Enfield, England, The Conjuring 2 covers the Enfield Poltergeist Haunting, which is one of the most documented supernatural cases in history. Even so, believers are equally divided with non-believers, and the evidence shows both truth and fraud.
When divorced and down-on-her-luck mum Peggy Hodgson (O’Connor) and her four kids are plagued by a mysterious malevolent specter who haunts their hovel of a home and seizes upon 10-year-old Janet (Madison Wolfe), it’s time to call in the experts. Enter the Warrens with crosses, Bibles, and video cameras; and let the battle of good vs. evil begin.
Genuinely eerie and well-told, The Conjuring 2 is a colossal improvement over the dull, dreary British TV miniseries “The Enfield Haunting” that came out last year. Director James Wan obviously loves scaring people, and he is very good at it. In fact, it seems he has it down to a science and knows what psychological buttons to push in the human psyche so that even jaded horror junkies will have at least few white-knuckle moments. Sometimes less is more, though, and on occasion the too-loud score, whip-pans, and slinking CGI shadows feel a tad manipulative as stretched over the rinse-repeat 134-minute spin cycle.
The Conjuring 2 not only ups the ante in the scares arena, it adds more character moments for the Warrens – in fact, it’s really Ed’s show as he leads the way into the heart of darkness, which gives Patrick Wilson more to do than in the first film. As a Wan regular – Wilson is also a lead in the Insidious film franchise – it’s even more obvious here how well they work together. Ed’s charm and humor come more to the fore, along with his faith, mission, and resolve. There’s a scene showing him playing an acoustic guitar and singing an Elvis song with a sweet sneer that’s charming and organic to the tone of the era. That’s something Wan excels at: creating a cinematic mosaic that feels both vintage and brand new.
Vera Farmiga is excellent as well, and her commitment to the character is admirable. She plays Lorraine with a completely different mien than she does as, say, Norma Bates in the TV series “Bates Motel.” You might be thinking, “Well, duh. They are two totally different personalities.” But it’s actually pretty rare to see actors who aren’t in some regard imbuing their performances with their own gestures, expressions, or modulations. Farmiga has said that she met and studied Lorraine Warren to make sure she was putting across an authentic portrayal, and she nails it.
There’s no way around the problematic tropes of the haunted house genre: Why the hell doesn’t the family just leave? They do stay with neighbors for a minute, and three of the four kids do depart at one point. But in spite of so much time spent focused on the family’s plight, it’s never explained satisfactorily. It seems being homeless would be preferable to living in that home.
And there are some other head-scratchers. For instance, once the ghost is ID’d as the former resident, it’s revealed that he died in an overstuffed old easy chair that’s still in the flat. It is still his favorite place to rest his bones, even in the afterlife. Umm… Why not get rid of the damn chair?! Not that it would necessarily eradicate the irascible old rascal, but it seems worth a try! What’s more, every single person in the family continues to creep through the dark, dangerously haunted house at night to investigate strange sounds again and again.
Those shortcomings aside, The Conjuring 2 is gorgeously filmed in warm, dark, soft, and chocolatey tones; and many scenes have a throwback feel – thanks to shooting deep into the sets and using interesting camera angles, rack focus, and extreme close-ups – which adds to the feeling of value one gets in watching it. It’s obvious the filmmakers really care about each and every moment they put on the screen, and as filmgoers you will feel like you matter. That’s rare. Plus, you get two hauntings for the price of one: the Enfield poltergeist and Lorraine’s own personal demon. Win/win.
While the haunted house storyline may feel ho-hum to some, The Conjuring 2 has enough texture and story to have appeal for all kinds of horror fans.
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Film
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