Wan back to doing what he does best!

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2016)

One of the better horror movies to emerge from the last decade finally gets a follow up with The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case. Director James Wan is back to doing what he does best after indulging himself hopelessly in the Furious franchise - something I've not entirely forgiven him for. Now that he has that out of his system, he fleets back to the one franchise still very much appreciated, that is if we quietly disregard Annabelle (2014) - something I have most definitely not forgiven him for. The Enfield Case has everything you want in a sequel; the setting, London, England 1977 and we see the return of the ever palpable Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as our favourite ghost-hunters, Ed and Lorraine Warren. Although, those of you who managed to catch the, quite brilliant, three part series on Sky 1, The Enfield Haunting, will have been subjected to some unfortunate spoilers. But worry not, there's more to this story than a great way to tell it and, after a small time-out, Wan doesn't hold back on the big-budget- scares.
Enfield, North London is the birthplace of one of the most documented hauntings in British history where the Hodgeson family were subjected to a series of ghastly shenanigans. In particular, the youngest daughter of the family, Janet, played here by a precocious Madison Wolfe, who is tormented and sometimes embodied by the spirit of a previous resident, Bill Wilkins. When the incidents become more frequent the family turn to the church for sanctuary who, in turn, contacts Ed and Lorraine Warren to investigate. Meanwhile, Lorraine is facing her own demons and is haunted by the spirit of the Amityville case who gives her a terrifying premonition of Ed's death.
One thing that makes this movie a cut above most horror that has been recently released is that it is very well made. Wan captures the bleak and impoverished conditions of the late 1970's working class. For those who lived and were raised through the late 70's, early 80's, there is a strong sense of familiarity. The patterned curtains, mismatched bedspreads and garish wallpaper, Wan taps into a familiar fear of helplessness that comes with those childhood memories; or even that uneasy feeling you get when you enter a musty, old house of the recently deceased.
Though most of the suspense stems from Wan's ability to make your skin crawl, he isn't afraid to parade the obvious scare. His excessive use of quick camera shifts make it easy predict when a big jump is coming, with the old, 'it's behind you!' trick, but it makes you feel rather ashamed when he still manages to get you; especially when you're too old to hide your eyes behind your fingers so you revert to muttering expletives under your breath. The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case is a popcorn horror for the nonchalant. It's a testament to Wan's style of film-making. The haunted house / possession genre has exhausted all of its resources but, regardless of his critics, Wan does not pretend that he has reinvented the wheel. Instead, he throws everything into the boiling pot for it to ultimately reach its over-produced, climactic ending; gratuitous entertainment.