What better way to scare yourself than your own imagination?
In the dead quiet of the night, in your pitch-black room at an ungodly hour, you are woken up by a strange noise, or some prickly sensation on your skin. And so your imagination goes auto-horror-pilot: Is there something standing there watching you? And you are now unable to go back to sleep, stressing over whether there's a demonic entity in your room...and if it will or will not grab your foot. Or worse, possess you.
That's the stuff of nightmares The Conjuring is made of.
The film takes us back to early 1970s to recount an allegedly true horror story. Real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, investigate a haunted Rhode Island farmhouse recently occupied by Roger and Carolyn Perron (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor) and their five young daughters—who've all been experiencing disturbing paranormal occurrences.
The film takes us back to early 1970s to recount an allegedly true horror story. Real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, investigate a haunted Rhode Island farmhouse recently occupied by Roger and Carolyn Perron (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor) and their five young daughters—who've all been experiencing disturbing paranormal occurrences.
Insidious and Saw director James Wan elegantly and simplistically delivers the goods. He doesn't employ in-your-face scare tactics, but instead suggests the horror, feeding your imagination so you can conjure on your own the worst possible scenario.
The movie silently guides you to explore every shadow and corner of the old, dilapidated house. Since it's been established early on that demonic entities dwell in the house, it's your mind that will give you the heebie-jeebies whenever a door creaks, when the flashlight is pointed at some dark corner, or when the camera watches a character sound asleep, or when Carolyn explores the cellar all by herself.
The movie silently guides you to explore every shadow and corner of the old, dilapidated house. Since it's been established early on that demonic entities dwell in the house, it's your mind that will give you the heebie-jeebies whenever a door creaks, when the flashlight is pointed at some dark corner, or when the camera watches a character sound asleep, or when Carolyn explores the cellar all by herself.
Despite the Warrens' comical outfits, The Conjuring is still a hair-raising experience, even for brave moviegoers. If you've already watched it on your laptop or TV, then you're missing out on some serious horror-fun. Because watching it on the big screen shoots up the terror to stressful levels.
Indeed, the movie lives up to its hype. With its unpretentious, simplified and point-blank approach, The Conjuring is effectively terrifying and spine-chilling. It's a tensing experience; the disquieting moments horribly unrelenting and won't give you a break—even long after you've left the cinemas and in your bed at night. With the lights turned off.
Indeed, the movie lives up to its hype. With its unpretentious, simplified and point-blank approach, The Conjuring is effectively terrifying and spine-chilling. It's a tensing experience; the disquieting moments horribly unrelenting and won't give you a break—even long after you've left the cinemas and in your bed at night. With the lights turned off.
4 out of 5 stars
In Philippine cinemas on August 21, 2013.
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