The Horror Genre at its Finest

Rating: 8/10 (21 July 2013)

Director James Wan once again brings us another amazing horror/thriller film and proves he is still one of the best horror directors of the last decade plus. His style of film making brings the best out in the actors and the best out in the stories that surround him.
More recently over the last five years or so horror films have generally been in the Paranormal Activity found footage mold where they lure you in and scare you with consistent jump scares. Director James Wan has never been a director who relies on those types of scares throughout a film. He build up a good story and lets it play out to bring the scares to you. With that type of style James Wan brings much deserved acting to the screen. We generally get no name actors or actresses who can't act at all. In this film Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, and Lili Taylor all work so well together it adds a lot to the film. They make you believe what is happening to them seem quite and in turn makes the scares even more intense. With a good secondary cast as well this film overall in the acting department adds something that is usually missing from these types of films.
The writing was actually very good as well especially when you consider writers Chad Hayes and Carey Hayes have up until this point only wrote second rate films that aren't nearly as good. The film is loosely based on Ed and Lorranie Warren. And they do a very good job adapting the film to the big screen. However with a runtime of roughly a hour and forty five minutes(without credits) the film does tend to slow down here and there. Nothing that takes away from the film too much but it is noticeable.
The soundtrack is fantastic in this film. Director James Wan doesn't usually doesn't disappoint in this part of the filming process as this is the same man who who brought the famous theme to the Saw franchise. The soundtrack in the film will leave you with chills and truly does add to the thrills of the film.
Overall this is truly one of the better horror films to be released in recent years. Director James Wan and the amazing cast makes this well worth the viewing price. Expect good thrills that will last with you long after the film goes to black.