Slow start, but a wild finish makes up for it.

Rating: 7/10 (19 July 2013)

I've been interested in The Conjuring for a few different reasons. The most basic: I like scary movies, and I like them even better when they're based on true stories. On top of that, we got a very early look at this back in October, at last year's New York Comic-Con. The cast and producers gave the impression that they were personally touched by the story it's based on, and they really wanted to do this movie justice.
But can you judge a "based-on-a-true-story" movie the same way you judge a normal movie? Better yet, if you have no inside track on this film, and know nothing about what it's based on...will you still find it interesting and/or creepy?
I say yes...to an extent.
This film clocks in at just below two hours, and, if I'm looking at it strictly as a movie for entertainment, it's a tale of two halves. The first half is going to feel very cliché. The usual scare tactics and predictable moments sandwiched in between plot development. The acting is decent enough, but the kids might annoy you a bit.
Then, right around the midway point, when you've got all the background info you need, the movie puts its foot on the pedal. Without spoiling anything, there's a scene on the stairway that stands out, and it's from that point on that the movie finds its groove. You get hit with a hectic pace and some high-quality, satisfying scare moments that hit the mark, compounded with some fine acting and good music choices.
There will probably be some mixed feelings with this movie. The slow first half may turn off some viewers, but patience will pay off nicely with the way this one ends. If you like the supernatural, possession-type scary flicks, or if you're at all familiar with the work of Ed and Lorraine Warren, then this movie is worth a look. The Conjuring scores a 3.5 out of 5 on the BDBOS.
(Did anyone else notice that Ed and Lorraine Warren look like Robert and Rosalind Lutece, from BioShock Infinite???)
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