FILM REVIEW: "THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT" DIDN'T DO IT FOR ME
I am unsure on the percentage of people who have seen ghosts, personally, I'm almost certain I did. My experience was but a singular hand, shrouded in darkness, repeatedly pulling my bedroom door shut. According to The Conjuring franchise, some rabid twelve year old ghost should've clambered backwards out of my air vent and hailed Satan in Latin for it to be a true ghost encounter; and even then there'd be skepticism.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do is inspired by the true case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson (Ruari O’Connor), who pleaded not guilty to a murder charge by reason of demonic possession. Spiritualists Ed & Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga & Patrick Wilson) investigate the validity of this claim, and who or what were behind Johnson’s possession.
Where the true events of the case and the events that transpire in this film meet is incredibly minor, Ed and Lorraine investigated Johnsons case and testified it was likely a demonic possession, they did not fight a water-logged corpse in a mortuary nor battle wicked witches. Whilst that all sounds exciting, The Devil Made Me Do It is perhaps the weakest link in The Conjuring franchise (not taking into account it’s horrible spinoffs). The film trades the haunted house formula for a murder mystery, to diminishing returns. James Wan, who directed the first two films, did not return, instead Michael Chaves helms the feature (Chaves notoriously led the critically lauded Conjuring universe film, The Curse of La Llorona).
Chaves is not Wan’s successor in any stretch, re-watch the magnificent opening sequence of the first film and compare it to this films entirety. The Devil Made Me Do It is a tried and tested film that feels far less significant than it’s predecessors. Immediately the film goes too far too fast, sacrificing atmosphere and suspense for spectacle, the first act of this film is the third act of any self respecting film, and it never returns to that initial speed.
Chaves direction is as soulless as his unfortunate characters, the film lacks any character and the palpable atmosphere previous Conjuring films held so well. It underutilizes and also heavily relies on jump scares but doesn’t have the talent to frighten audiences to oblivion like the first two films, the credits are the scariest part of this film!
Unfortunately for Chaves, the screenplay, penned by series regulars David Leslie Johnson and James Wan has few standout moments, and is at it’s best when it’s mimicking the franchises former self.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the signature paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, both do a fine job embodying the characters they’ve played throughout the franchise.
With no haunted house or inhabitants, Ed and Lorraine take center stage crisscrossing the country looking for clues in a bland murder mystery that leads them to very little, internally and externally.
There’s a significant lack of spooky monsters and creepy ghosts, but for what it’s worth The Devil Made Me Do It is a fine popcorn guzzling experience, albeit a slight disappointment for Conjuring fans and horror enthusiasts. The plot and it’s eventual villain have a lot of potential in a superior written film, but one could argue the spinning of a true crime as a demonic possession could be in poor taste.
Luckily, the real life Warrens investigated thousands of cases of apparent paranormal activity. Here’s to hoping the next Conjuring film finds plenty of ghouls, goblins and ghastly things in all the cracks, crevasse and shadows of some dusty haunted house.
2.5 / 5
