The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Review: The Crew Is Back And Jumping The Demonic Shark

Release date: June 4, 2021
Running time: 112 minutes
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ruairi O'Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, Julian Hilliard
Directed By: Michael Chaves
Written By: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, James Wan

The Warrens investigate a murder that may be linked to a demonic possession.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (I'm going to call it "The Conjuring 3" for ease of typing after this) is the return of the Warrens from this storied franchise.  Recently the series has been focused on side plots and other movies to try and build out a Conjuring cinematic universe.  This was most eggregious in the latest film from the Conjuring universe, Annabelle Comes Home, where a film that was supposedly about Annabelle focused on a series of side spirits.  Thankfully, the Conjuring 3 returns to its roots in possession, the Warrens, and exorcism.  

And there is a lot to like about this return to form.  First and foremost, you have the Warrens back.  It's tough to describe how perfectly Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are on screen, but they really do complement each other.  I like their comfort with each other and the skills that each of them possess.  And the actors are so good at these roles, with special note to Vera Farmiga.  Her version of Lorraine Warren with the gift of sight is wonderful to behold, and I love the look that she gives when she is seeing something from the spirit world.  Additionally, as you would expect from a return to form, the Conjuring 3 just has some amazing effects.  The film is a special effects juggernaut, with some very impressive possession and destruction scenes that will keep you engaged during this demonic adventure.  From big spooky events, to body contortioning exorcisms, to exploding glass from spiritual powers, the film hits you with the effects you would expect form a summer blockbuster.  The Conjuring 3 does a great job with tension as well, making you hold your breath as a creepy location is explored or as something off screen is getting ready to happen.  

But what also made the Conjuring my favorite horror film of all time is sadly lost in this sequel.  The Conjuring was such an atmospheric masterpiece, with understated effects until later in the film.  The movie built the possession up slowly and works because it is a plausible explanation of what happened during that event.  Strange things could happen but because it all was confined to the house, the story can live on in lore.  The Conjuring 3 jumps the shark and goes down a rabbit hole of events.  The possession is that much bigger, the spirits are that much more violent, and the film goes to many different locales.  The movie tries to live by the "based on true events" moniker, but a quick look at the underlying case shows that the movie veered off highly from what actually happened.  The body count in this film is shockingly high given that it is "based on true events" and the film seems to forget that the original Conjuring films were so perfect because they were more grounded.  The Conjuring 3 amps it up to 11, and makes for an entertaining horror film, just not an entertaining Conjuring film.  Additionally, the movie imports some Satanic panic ideas into it as well, which just feels antiquated for the time.  And I would understand if this had some relation to the underlying case, but this seemed all invented for this film.  Again, this could be a great premise for a fictional horror film, but when you have something "based on true events," I expect a little more restraint in what happens. 

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It possesses your attention with the great chemistry between Wilson and Farmiga and some spectacular and creepy effects.

Rent it.

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The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is in theaters and streaming on HBO Max on June 4, 2021.  It will leave HBO Max in early July.  For showtimes, click here.

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