And the worst offender for cheap jump scares award goes to...

Rating: 5/10 (20 July 2013)

The Conjuring has solidified my theory on the films of James Wan - he makes movies aimed squarely at teenagers. I can't knock him for that, it's a pretty solid success strategy and it makes perfect sense that they've slated him as the director for Fast and Furious 7 - an entire franchise aimed at teenagers.
I can't help but think it's a shame though, because the guy does have talent. You can see glimpses of it shining through the cheap jump scares that litter every frame of The Conjuring. He clearly knows how to use his framing in unique and interesting ways, he clearly knows his history of cinematic trends, and he's got a Spielbergian knack for throwing in much needed light moments. It's like he wants to make a scary movie for adults - one with an actual story and atmosphere - and he knows he's got the ability to do it, but either he's too afraid to take the risk of it failing at the box office due to teenage attention deficit, or pressure from higher-ups is reigning him in.
The Conjuring isn't a bad ghost movie, it's just not the kind of ghost movie I can get into personally. I need more to chew on than gimmickry or my attention starts to wander, and by the tenth time I'd watched someone in a night gown creep anxiously towards a strange noise, boy was it wandering.
Lili Taylor and Vera Farmiga are very good in their roles and I would say it's perfect for something to watch with a group of talkative friends and giggle at the jumps; but if you want something to engage you on an individual basis with a story or character development, this is about as far away as you can get. Those of us who want a thickening tension, slowly revealingly backstory or sense of progress in the plot will have to go back to watching movies like The Changeling, Session 9, The Others, or Burnt Offerings instead. Maybe the next ghost movie James Wan makes, he'll be a little braver and make one for us instead of the kids.