A modern throwback to classic horror.

Rating: 7/10 (19 July 2013)

It's been a relatively weak year so far for horror films. The Conjuring has been on my radar now though for awhile, and one of my most anticipated movies of the summer. Not to mention all the hype and positive reviews it has been getting. Director James Wan is back behind the directors chair after the successful horror film Insidious. Clearly this man loves horror films and has such a gift for setting up scares and tension. Something this genre really lacks. James Wan in my opinion is one of the best things to happen to modern horror. So does The Conjuring hold up to all the hype? The short answer is yes and no. This film to me seemed to be a mix up of insidious mixed with a dash of dead silence and the exorcist. The Conjuring takes it's time and slowly builds up tension. The scenes are set up great, and a lot of tension is felt. The problem however that while the tension is often high, the scares tend to be predictable mostly, and less effective then in the film Insidious. The two films are comparable in terms of scares however I thought Insidious was more effective on scares. With that being said however, The Conjuring seems to be a lot more focused and consistent throughout the entire film. It is a good film, however there are no new tricks here. We have seen this movie before, however director James Wan has a few tricks up his sleeve, and can create great build up. The Conjuring falters a little bit at the end, and tends to get a little cheesy and perhaps a tad overboard. Where as in Insidious it felt more in place (however some will disagree). Bottom line is this is one of the better horror films to come out in the past little bit. It offers nothing new but is a great throwback to older horror films. It's best too not watch the trailer and go into this film without knowing much. Casual horror fans will love this, but horror veterans may not fully buy into the hype. Not overly scary, but none the less a solid horror flick. Hopefully James Wan can continue his hot streak with Insidious chapter 2 in the fall. Rating: 7 out of 10.