The Conjuring 2 (9/10)

Rating: 9/10 (29 October 2016)

Rarely does a big time director of a hit horror movie come back and make a direct sequel to his work. James Wan seems to take up this challenge and it's refreshing that he has the desire to continue his original story with another solid outing. It almost seems that The Conjuring franchise is quickly becoming on the level of the The Exorcist franchise, in terms of story and film quality in the possession genre. Wan's ability to create a frightening film relatable on a human level is a remarkable talent. An initial strength of The Conjuring 2 is how topical the premise is to the actual landscape of paranormal perception. For example, an important part of any real-life exorcism is the doubt that the vast majority of people view towards the subject in question, in this case a girl played by a good upcoming talent, Madison Wolfe. The Conjuring 2 outlines the media scrutiny towards exorcisms very well and also the genuine nature and belief in the paranormal field by strong grounded people. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are simply incredible in these roles, flat-out polished acting chops and never wilt once on screen. A well-written story, strong cast and crew and hair raising scenes and dialogue it's really not that surprising to see The Conjuring 2 crush at the box office as well as critical reviews.