True story, truly scary

Rating: 10/10 (3 August 2013)

Am not an easy man to scare. Countless movies have gone by, yet rarely have i been scared like the way I was today by The Conjuring. At first glance, it is easy to write it off- haunted house as a horror theme has been ground to dust. But oh so much dust it does raise, because together with the well constructed chills inter-spaced with wry humor and excellent acting, surely, this must rank as one of the finest horror movies of this decade.
"Something awful happened here"
The Conjuring has all the staples of a horror movie- innocent victims, statuesque haunted farmhouse complete with a tree to "hang on", oak wardrobes, wooden dolls, creaky floorboards, foul odors, Salem witches, cellars and other dark places. Set in the fashionable 70s, the Warrens, Ed(Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) are successful and well respected ghost hunters. Together they are a good team- Ed is all authoritative, Lorraine is all empathy. They are contacted by the Perrons to investigate paranormal occurrences in Massachusetts, a close investigation of which reveal a generations old evil that begins acting up as the movie progresses.
Director James Wan already explored this theme is his earlier classic- Insidious. In addition to doffing his cap to classics like Exorcist, Poltergeist, Amityville Horror and The Birds, he exhibits mastery over the most important aspect of a horror movie- its tempo. He allows a slow build up, then the lull, followed by the storm. Walls crash, chairs fly, birds crash into windows, the possessed retch and levitate at will as a phenomenally intense climax builds up. All this is achieved with minimal blood and visual effects, unlike The Evil Dead remake. The acting overall is excellent, you feel what the Perrons are going through- their togetherness, their joy, their shock and later, their terror. The music is sheer class, and a pair of clapping hands never was so creepy.
The Conjuring is an ode then to man's primordial joy of getting scared. It's only flaw maybe its predictability, but it's treatment is honest and simple. As a result even the most rational viewer will keep looking back when alone in the dark. Horror fans rejoice- yours prayers have finally been answered, here is a modern day classic at last. PS- if you feel the poster picture is tame, watch the movie to find out what happens right after this scene :)