The Conjuring of Cheapness

Rating: 4/10 (30 December 2019)

The thing I dislike in most movies is when they pretend to be expensive, clever and scary on the surface, but just scratch at it a little and it easily reveals itself to be a cheap and unoriginal copy of a much better masterpiece, in this case The Exorcist, The Changeling and Amityville Horror.
I like a good spooky horror movie. I enjoy every second of The Exorcist because it is a well-crafted piece of art that has stood the test of time. Each viewing reveals new aspects to cherrish. The same goes for The Omen or Rosemary's Baby. A good story is worth more than a huge budget. The Conjuring is an insult to horror. It is the laziest writing combined with the most basic direction. It has nothing new or good to offer to the genre, but instead sets it back decades.
James Wan is not a fraud like Andy Muschietti, but his over-reliance on jumpscares and loud noises is proof he can't write or direct a scary movie. Robert Eggers and Ari Aster are ten times better writer-directors who create better movies with a lesser budget because they rely on good storytelling to create moods, not loud noises and bad lighting.
Aside the fact that the Warrens were frauds who preyed on the misery and pain of others, the constant beating over the head with religion and quackery is insulting. James Wan profits off the gullibility and bad taste of moviegoers. Too much exposition, cheap jumpscares and a forgettable plot nowadays equals profit. Unfortunately.