James Wan has now proved himself to be a master of the horror genre!

Rating: 9/10 (24 July 2013)

'THE CONJURING': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Director James Wan (who first burst onto the movie scene with 2004's immensely popular 'torture porn' slasher film 'SAW') has now proved himself to be a master of the horror genre. He suffered a mild setback (and the sophomore jinx) with the film 'DEAD SILENCE' in 2007 but returned to good form with the revenge action film 'DEATH SENTENCE' that same year. He's now proved himself to be one of the masters of the horror genre with 2010's 'INSIDIOUS' and his newest offering 'THE CONJURING'. Both are the purest examples of what makes scary movies so powerful and a film lover's delight!
The film was written by Chad and Carey Hayes (who also co-scripted the horror films 'THE REAPING' and the 2005 'HOUSE OF WAX' remake) and it's loosely based on true events in the lives of Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the film, Wilson also starred in Wan's 'INSIDIOUS'). The Warrens were respected paranormal investigators in the 1970s and this film revolves around them helping the Perron family with a spooky disturbance in their home. The Perrons (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor) were a married couple who moved into an old farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, with their five daughters, in 1971. They were haunted by an unseen entity from the moment they moved into the house. The case was the most disturbing and frightening one of the Warrens' careers.
The film is a classic throwback to the great spook fests of the 1970s (like 'THE EXORCIST'). It uses minimal special effects and was made on a budget of just $13 million. It's highlighted by Wan's creative directing and an excellently freaky score by Joseph Bishara (who also did the music for 'INSIDIOUS' as well as a number of other recent horror films). The movie represents everything I love about horror films and why it's the most successful genre in cinema today (this film made $41 million in it's opening weekend; that's more than three times it's budget and the biggest opening ever for an R rated horror film). James Wan is one of the elite directors that helped pave the way.
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