‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ review: Giving up the ghost

Familiar jump scares and franchise-returning cameos don’t save The Conjuring: Last Rites from being a lackluster ending for the Warrens.

This is it. The Conjuring: Last Rites is the supposed “ending” of renowned and controversial paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Well, at least on the big screen in The Conjuring film franchise. Everything throughout its 12-year lifespan, from the first haunting to Annabelle to The Nun, has led to this climactic battle, the one case that ended it all.  Ultimately, the story is finishing with a whimper instead of a bloodcurdling scream.

Directed by franchise veteran Michael Chaves (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), The Conjuring: Last Rites felt like two halves competing to tell different stories. On one side, there was the familial drama of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, respectively), as they dealt with their career and lives winding down. Their daughter Judy (now played by Mia Tomlinson) has grown and is looking to the next phase of her life. The Warrens are not only facing the reality of getting older, but also how Judy is becoming an adult and what that means for her psychic ability.

A family that investigates together.

This portion of the film carries the most weight, both in terms of screen time and development. The Conjuring: Last Rites takes extra care to flesh out the family dynamics, creating a light-hearted and picturesque look into the family. If there’s one thing the film wants to achieve, it’s that the Warrens were a happy unit who loved each other, capturing all the typical family beats throughout their pivotal life moments. And once again, the film crafts a narrative of the Warrens as a true love romance, overcoming all of life’s challenges and ghostly encounters.

For longtime Conjuring fans, this narrative tone serves as a sweet love letter for the franchise. Throughout most entries, Ed and Lorraine’s marriage anchored the plotline, weaving the emotional undercurrent of Ed’s protective heroism alongside Lorraine’s loving and psychic partnership. A Conjuring film, especially one featuring the Warrens, is nothing without the strong relationship presented on screen. Farmiga and Wilson do a great job of channeling their chemistry together into these roles, which then presents a strong connective thread as parents to Judy.

The menace in the mirror.

On the other side, there is the paranormal case of the Smurl family in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. Let’s get this right out of the way: The Conjuring: Last Rites is very loosely based on that haunting case and the Warrens’ involvement. And by “loosely,” I mean that there’s barely any foundation and plot to drive this film’s story forward.

In the case of The Conjuring: Last Rites, the Smurl family is haunted by a malevolent demon after it’s brought into the home through a mirror. No one in town believes them, and after a fiery media storm, the family looks to be left without hope. However, a mysterious past connection between the mirror and the Warrens lures the investigators to West Pittston to help the Smurl family in their time of need.

Unfortunately, between the two halves, the horror story pales in comparison to the Warrens’ relationship. This poses a problem because The Conjuring: Last Rites is, rightfully, a horror movie. The supernatural haunting comes across as a disjointed narrative filled with filler jump scares and a forced third-act climax. Eerie moments are teased throughout the film, and the initial Smurl family segments capture The Conjuring’s standard build-up before the chaos. However, the film’s structure fails to add importance to this family’s plight; The Conjuring: Last Rites cares more about the Warrens and their family dynamics. The demon terrorizing the West Pittston family was a B-storyline, an inconvenience that the Warrens were dragged into to resolve their story.

What hides in the shadows.

A Conjuring film is nothing without its tricks and treats of paranormal surprises. So, for the horror plot line to be underdeveloped, this decision affects how impactful all of the scares are. The Conjuring: Last Rites does have some genuinely eerie and unnerving moments. When the movie takes the time to build up (and not telegraph) a scare, the terror electrifies the scenes. Without giving any spoilers, there are a few moments at the Smurl house where the jump scares and “blink and you’ll miss it” teases may catch you off guard. These sent shockwaves throughout my theater, with several people loudly screaming out at the screen.

Unfortunately, these moments were far between. At times, the film falls victim to the horror misstep of telegraphing upcoming scares. There’s a fine line between anticipating a jump scare and the pacing/editing/music teasing us up for one that will pop up on screen. If you’ve watched a horror movie before, there are subtle nods that will cue you into the terror that’s around the corner. The Conjuring: Last Rites doesn’t have enough subtlety to catch you on your toes. But if you’re in the mood for an easy ghostly fright, you’re bound to get shaken at some point during its 2-hour runtime.

A killer doll returns.

Part of the movie’s tonal issue can also be attributed to its bloated and shifting horror tone. For a film with a weaker supernatural mystery, The Conjuring: Last Rites tries to make up for it with franchise nods and horror references. For example, Judy’s connection to the possessed doll Annabelle, from the Annabelle films, makes a return as a looming presence.

Annabelle’s reappearance offers fun and clever easter eggs for longtime Conjuring fans, and an ongoing development for Judy’s character continuing to suffer from the trauma of Annabelle Comes Home. But in a haunting story about the Smurls, Annabelle felt out of place. The doll may be an iconic villain for the franchise; however, her appearance would’ve suited its own Annabelle sequel. Or even the story of the Warrens that made up the first half of this film’s narrative.

The Conjuring: Last Rites included references to religious horror, a slasher nod, and influences of the Evil Dead series. Once again, without spoilers, there was a section of the third act where I wondered if I was watching Evil Dead Rise. If the Necronomicon had appeared, it wouldn’t have been surprising. This is all not to say that the film can’t blend different horror tones, but without a defined horror story, the inclusions felt directionless and were for shock value. The final film in the story should end with a bang, but the bang shouldn’t be throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks.

The bottom line.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is an unbalanced horror film trying to be a satisfying farewell love letter to its longtime fans, while still being a spooky ghostly adventure. To this end, one half of the film succeeds with the emotional depth and development of the Warrens, but it fails to add weight and importance to the big case at hand. Instead, we’re left biding our time, waiting for terrifying encounters that The Conjuring franchise is known for.

The Conjuring: Last Rites isn’t a terrible film. You’ll enjoy a few ghostly surprises, and it does a good job of wrapping up the Warren’s story on a tender note. However, as a Conjuring horror movie, the only true ghost is the looming specter of better Conjuring films from the past that overshadow this one.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is now playing in theaters everywhere. Watch the trailer here.

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Read more articles by Justin Carreiro here.