Reminds you that a creaky door can still be scary.

Rating: 10/10 (23 July 2013)

It has been a long time since a truly terrifying film has come out. While I do think "Insidious" is a nice scary treat for haunted house stories, "The Conjuring" blew me away.
"The Conjuring" is based on the true story (then again, Hollywood would say a movie about talking toys is based on a true story if it sold more tickets) of a family haunted by some unknown entity in the new home they got. The film is based off an old case-file investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life married couple who investigated the Amityville Horror. However, unlike other films based off their exploits, we get a film where they're actually main characters. So now it is up to the Warrens to help save the day for this family of seven.
Something else that is very surprising about this film is that it actually makes you CARE about the characters. Most of the time in horror movies you have to deal some dumb kids having sex before Jason Myers or Michael Voorhees comes along and puts an end to our misery. However, that isn't the case with "The Conjuring." Vera Farmiga gives a fantastic performance as Lorraine Warren, a woman who won't let anything get in the way of protecting her family or doing what is right. Patrick Wilson also gives a great performance as Ed Warren, a man who would do anything to protect his wife. Lili Taylor also gives a fantastic performance as a mother trying to protect her family. Basically what I'm trying to say is this is a horror movie with great acting! I know, I was shocked too.
Now James Wan has truly grown since his days directing "Saw." There is little to no gore in this movie, just pure terror. Wan makes you care about the characters before beginning the truly scary stuff. After all, Wan is under the insane notion that things could be scarier if we actually care about what happens to the people in this movie. I wonder where he got that idea?
No matter how much you prepare yourself, however, you will never be ready for the mounting dread that will haunt you from the beginning of the film. From the very first shot to the last moment you will be on the edge of your seat wanting to yell at the screen "Hurry up I can't take the tension anymore!" But you will take the tension because that is what this movie does. It builds the tension to the absolute highest and scares you to the point of screaming way out loud. There may be a couple jump scares here and there but the true money is when James Wan decides to show you what real fear is. Sure it might not bring anything new to the genre but it does remind you why classic horror is always the way to go. Wan proves that not all the blood in the world can outmatch a good olé fashioned creaky door in the middle of the night.
In the end, "The Conjuring" is an extremely well done film with a great cast, fantastic direction, and clever script. You will be jumping out of your seat one scene after another. Just pray that the creaky door at night is just because it needs to be oiled.