A court case that requires an exorcism.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is the third main entry in “The Conjuring” franchise, as well as the eighth overall film in its cinematic universe. It was directed by Michael Chaves, who did the previous film in the universe, “The Curse of La Llorona.” It was written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who also wrote “The Conjuring 2.” It was released in theaters and on HBO Max for a limited time.
The film once again follows Ed and Lorraine Warren, a pair of married paranormal investigators. After performing an exorcism, they realize that the demon wasn’t removed from the individual, but instead moved to a new host. This new host ends up murdering someone.
While helping the possessed person in court, they discover a wider connection between his case and other tragedies in the area, prompting them to stop it once and for all. It is loosely based on a real court case and story from the Warrens.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is a solid horror film through and through. It continues the spirit of the franchise while deviating from some of its demonic conventions.
To begin, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga continue to deliver great performances as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Since they’ve been playing these characters for years, they have kept a consistent streak with their roles, diving further into their characters with each film. It’s also refreshing to watch a horror movie with some excellent acting.
The rest of the cast’s performances almost match the leads, but don’t quite reach the same heights. Ruairi O’Connor plays Arnie, who is put on trial for murder while being possessed. He does a great job, specifically in switching between the possessed and normal versions of himself.
The other performance worth noting is John Noble as retired Father Kastner, who helps the Warrens in their investigation. He works well as a wise old figure, with some dark secrets. Outside of those two, the rest of the actors do a fine job, but nobody else sticks out as particularly great.
In terms of the story, this film does a surprisingly good job at changing up the formula without feeling disconnected from the franchise. The main aspect that is different from previous mainline films is that it isn’t a haunted house movie. That element is present, but it isn’t the main focus, which works well.
Generally, this film uses the investigative aspects of previous films and spreads it across different events and locations. It still contains several horror sequences, but they aren’t delegated to one location. With that aspect, it helps keep the film connected to the previous two main films while not feeling like the same film over and over again.
A somewhat disappointing part of the story is the courtroom parts of the film. It would have been interesting if they explored the actual court case more. Instead, they just use it as a plot point a couple of times in the movie. It would’ve been fun to have a haunted courtroom movie, but we don’t get that with this film.
Using the story as a catalyst, the movie’s main attraction is the horror, specifically in the realm of demonic horror. This film excellently delivers on several horror sequences, with one near the end being one of the best in the franchise. Nothing felt cheap or artificial; for example, the few times that the film used jump scares, it did so effectively and with purpose. The film also has an excellent atmosphere, which greatly influences the film. Every sequence was shot, edited and acted in a way to provide genuine thrills and suspense to the audience.
Finally, the technical aspects of this film are executed with precision, with a few odd choices every now and then. The cinematography helps create the film’s atmosphere, with deliberate camera movements and deep shadows.
However, there were times where the lighting poured too much into the scene, which worked sometimes and negatively stood out a few times. The editing is also good, but there were instances where it cut too many times between scenes, creating a brief but unintentional disorienting feeling. Finally, the score fits well within the movie, offering a sinister and evil presence throughout the film.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is a great horror film and a good addition to the franchise. It delivers on some excellent horror sequences using great performances and technical execution.
The main three “Conjuring” films remain as some of the best mainstream horror films in recent memory. All three films provide great atmosphere and horror, which help them stand out amongst the seemingly endless stream of half-baked horror movies that get pumped into theaters.
“The Conjuring” films are always a breath of fresh air for the genre. They don’t compare to the more experimental and intense horror films by directors such as Ari Aster or Robert Eggers, but they stand on their own as entertaining and consumable horror movies.
Horror enthusiasts will probably like this film, while casual audiences will definitely enjoy what it has to offer. At the end of the day, this is a good horror movie worth seeing.
3/5 Torches
