The Conjuring: Last Rites Review

In a year filled with excellent horror films, including Sinners, Weapons, and The Presence, The Conjuring: Last Rites gets lost attempting to play the hits and engage in the new image-laden horror fad. It felt like a studio forcing an aging singer to record from their catalogue instead of writing new music. The sequel performed well at the box office, setting a new record for a horror film's opening weekend with $194 million. This success only reinforces the point: The film made money, but it was artistically stagnant.

Photo by Joshua Rodriguez on Unsplash

The film opens with a flashback to young Ed and Lorraine Warren (older versions played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) on their first case, leading to the birth of their daughter, Judy (played by Mia Tomlinson). The issue with suspense-based franchises like The Conjuring is that they often attempt to do or say something new with similar material. For example, the Jurassic Park franchise requires the filmmakers to ask what else they can do after the dinosaurs, once again, start eating people? In this case, the filmmakers, including director Michael Chaves, have to ask: "What else can we do with these hauntings that allows us to keep up with the new wave of horror from Osgood Perkins, Zach Cregger, Ryan Coogler, and Jordan Peele?"

The film misses the story-based elements that the early films have. Coogler's Sinners creates characters that the audience cares about. This installment assumes that audiences care about the characters, particularly the Smurl family, who serve as a placeholder for the hauntings while the actual focus is on the Warrens. However, that's the magic that the original story had, which captured the audience's attention. The people and the stakes were real. Now, the family exists as a widget for the spectacle.

The spectacle presents another issue. The Conjuring has always relied on subtlety and the fear of what we can't see and what we can't control. The nearly immediate corporeal nature of the demons undercuts the feeling of what is unseen, and the metaphysical nature of demons undercuts the creepiness of the violence.

One particular effective scene occurred early in the film in the Smurfs' basement. It appears a large man is hiding in the dark. Janet Smurl (Rebecca Calder) slowly makes her way to the steps to escape, keeping the man in view, flips on the light, revealing a John Wayne poster. The tension and uncertainty create suspense in the viewer. Later in the film, the demons have more in common with Vaudevillian home invaders, undercutting the suspense.

Once again, the story was overshadowed by the shoehorning of Annabelle into the narrative multiple times. One particular scene early in the film felt like a studio head came in and said, "Hey! Where's that damn doll?! The one that makes me money?!"

The acting is largely strong but offers little new material to the leads. They face the challenge of making this particular situation feel fresh without introducing new stakes. Yes, they now have a daughter involved, but that doesn't seem to change the plot in any significant way.

Overall, the film achieves its intended purpose—to make money—but it falls short of expectations. The film fell victim to a recent trend of having the best scenes revealed in the trailer. Aside from one violent incident in the Smurls' kitchen, the film had few surprises left.

The Conjuring: Last Rites Review, Rating, and Ranking in Brief

The Conjuring: Last Rites Review: The film features a few scenes that make it worth watching if you're a horror fan.

Rating: 2.5/5

Ranking: 26/31 (Ranking in the total number of films I've seen in the theater in 2025)

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