High Quality Fright Night Experience

Rating: 8/10 (22 April 2018)

James Wan successfully made a compelling demonic possession film loosely based on true accounts. Written by Chad Hayes, the technical detail here is praiseworthy and the acting all around is convincing and competent.
There are so many layers here to peel. Firstly is the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren - played with great prowess by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, are the paranormal investigators finds as well as debunks activities of the unknown. Chad Hayes was very clever in including moments were the Warrens are skeptical and actively try to find more rational explanations of things going bump in the night, which gives credence to the what happens to the Porren family in the story.
The Porrens are the family being haunted; I won't say by since part of the fun is to discover the motivation behind the possession. Special commendation must be given to Lili Taylor for her performance as you'll discover in the end, while Ron Livingstone is believable as the bewildered father.
However, the star of the show is definitely, James Wan; whose direction, clever use of light and shadow, silence and sound as well as tight camera angles, gives you a thoroughly psychologically eerie atmosphere that keeps you in a state of suspense for most of the film. This is old school horror film with refined technical finesse.
If I had any criticism of the film, it's the demon that is doing the haunting, could have been more sinister, such as devil in The Exorcist (1973).
A really good ghost story. Recommended.