A Ghost Story Done Right

Rating: 9/10 (30 July 2013)

This kind of story has been done many times before. But The Conjuring captures a vital element that most others fail at, something absolutely vital to a horror film. And it does it without excessive swearing, sex, or gore. And that vital element is family relationship. You are immediately wrapped in a by-gone era when siblings are close and parents are doing everything they can to live the American dream. James Wan brilliantly reinforces the warm atmosphere with subtle camera work, pacing, and music. The relationships are put to the test when malevolent forces threaten what they hold most dear.
Powerful writing like this is very rare in films these days. It plays on the paranoia everyone feels at some point, as a child, as a mother, as a father. The acting is magnificent. And the production solid. It all comes together to create a very terrifying experience.