Unsettling, rather than scary. 7.5/10

Rating: 7/10 (2 August 2013)

James Wan's "The Conjuring" is one of my most anticipated films of this year. Wan, the director of the original "Saw" film as well as 2011's "Insidious" has a fair amount of experience in the field of horror. Although, he has had some missteps, 2007's "Dead Silence" was a joke of a horror film and did not live up to the expectations set by his previous work. He is also directing the upcoming sequel to "Insidious", which I am looking forward to. His newest film, "The Conjuring" is packed with an all star cast. Starring are Vera Farmiga, Lily Taylor, Ron Livingston and Patrick Wilson. Based on the true story of famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), who have participated in such paranormal investigations as the infamous "Amityville Horror" case as well as many others. The film is centered around their supposedly "most terrifying" case that has not been revealed until now. In the first few scenes we see the Perron family, Carolyn Perron (Lili Taylor), Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) and their many daughters. They are moving into their new home, a remote farmhouse located in Rhode Island. Having settled in, the family heads to bed. In the morning, they wake up to find that every single clock in the house has stopped at exactly 3:07 AM as well as a foul stench seeping through the floor and walls. Not to mention a shocking discover made by their youngest daughter, Christine. Over the course of a few days, strange events begin to occur in the Perron house and it becomes evident that something is terribly wrong. In desperate strides to protect her family, Carolyn seeks the help of noted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, it takes her some convincing, but the two decide to help her. After inspecting the Perron house, it is clear to the Warren's that something evil has latched itself onto it.
First of all, I will say that I greatly enjoyed this film, but it did not genuinely frighten me. Normally, I would dismiss a horror film if it would fail to frighten me, but in the case of "The Conjuring" there is so much more backing up the film that the scares don't feel as important as they should. This is a very well made film, the set design and camera-work showcase James Wan's impressive directorial presence as well as set up a chilling atmosphere. If I were to pick a work to describe my feelings whilst watching the film, it would probably be, "unsettled". The entire cast deliver exceptional performances, which is no surprise when working with such highly talented actors. My main problem with "The Conjuring" is that at times it feels very predictable and uninspired story wise. Other than that, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed "The Conjuring". I am convinced that James Wan has the potential to be a fantastic director.
It did not scare me, but the fantastic production value and the performances delivered by the actors along with James Wan's eerie direction had me invested in the film all the way through. "The Conjuring" managed to unsettle me as well as provide a gripping story and worthwhile characters.