Can A Movie Be Too Scary?

Rating: 8/10 (12 June 2016)

The acting and other technical elements of The Conjuring 2 make it a well made film but most movie-goers just want to know if it really is that scary. I say it most definitely is. There is no edge of your seat excitement and there is nothing fun about it, it's just really scary. Some scenes were similar to the first movie but most of the time I forgot I was watching a sequel. All the characters seemed equally important and Vera Farmiga is very pretty but all of that gets overlooked due to how scary it is. It was a bit uncomfortable to watch and I wanted it to be over but I mean that as a compliment.
Some of my favorite horror movies are An American Werewolf In London, Phantasm, the original Halloween, the original Fright Night, and some films in the A Nightmare On Elm Street series. Those are classic scary movies that play each year on certain networks during the month of October and fall into that category of a worst case scenario. Imagine how scary it would be if your nightmares could get you in real life or if a vampire moved into the house next door to you. Those are movies you can watch at home with the lights out while snacking on popcorn and chugging a soda and having fun while being scared. The Conjuring 2 however is a seriously terrifying two hour commitment that I do not want to watch at home alone. What if that hideous demon in the movie comes to get me? There's no fun in that!
I remember seeing commercials for Paranormal Activity that showed the audience scared and looking away from the screen for a moment before peeking back and enjoying the experience like a sort of amusement ride. I like the films in that series. The Conjuring 2 had a different effect on the audience. The theater was silent throughout the entire film and after it ended people left the theater quickly and in silence. I got the feeling they were scared out of their wits.
Rather than repeating myself by saying it was really scary, I'll sum it up. This is not a horror movie you mix in with teen-screams, slashers, or monster movies. It goes with The Exorcist or The Shining, especially when they were first released. One that will have even the most seasoned horror fan checking their closets and under their beds before going to sleep. See it in the theater if you can and good luck!