The marketing insists this is the ‘Last’ core Conjuring film, but that seems the least credible claim in this ‘true’ story. As long as there's an audience (in true Warren fashion), producers will keep summoning scripts. As it stands, this rates a little better than the weakest of the core films (Conjuring 3), but nowhere as bad as the more insipid entries across the franchise. This has a strong opening and buildup, high production values with a strong 80’s aesthetic and commitment. While you can probably enjoy this as a standalone film, copious callbacks and references reward completionists. Plot beats and imagery are recycled from the last film wholesale, yet the film’s pacing feels disjointed between the Warren’s home life and Smurl events. As always, the chemistry between Wilson and Farmiga is palpable, and they are charismatic actors, but their story threads seem disconnected. Potential development jettisoned in favor of developing their daughter and her relationships, with almost an entire family worth of characters getting short-changed as a result. The spook designs are underwhelming, best used obscured in shadows and used sparingly, but their appearance can unsettle. The filmmakers are cognizant Annabelle is the most iconic element from these films so she keeps popping up to say hi, even where it doesn't make narrative sense and despite headlining her own spinoff series. We’ve seen variants on the majority of these scares since the first film, as demons love revisiting certain tricks, but they are still delivered effectively. There are very tense scenes and more than a handful of decent scares throughout the films rather lengthy runtime. To its credit, this film favors slow building dread and ominous atmosphere to copious jump scares. Until the last act, where it also follows the franchise beats and goes a bit gonzo. On the whole, this film feels like it offers little new, but as stated previously, these films are the cinematic equivalent of comfort food; satisfying if empty, calories of an entirely predictable meal.
The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)