The Conjuring: Last Rites info:
Director: Michael Chaves
Writer: Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, and Mia Tomlinson
Hello and welcome to another week here at 1guysmindlessmoviereviews.com. There was one last wave of heat this week as summer comes to an end. So, for those who love cooler weather… your time is approaching. But now, it’s time to discuss the second movie from our drive-in movie experience two weeks ago. If you didn’t read about it last week, check it out here. Weapons was the other movie we watched. If you have a drive-in theater nearby and haven’t visited yet, you really should check it out at least once. Not only is it fun, but it’s usually a cheaper way to watch a movie, and they need all the patrons they can get.
Ok, but enough about last week. We are onto this week and a new film to review. But as always, before we begin, I don’t want to conjure up any spoilers, so if you have yet to see “The Conjuring: Last Rites” and don’t want to know what happened, then I suggest heading back to my home page and checking out some other fun stuff I have in store. Then come back here when you are less scared to finish this one.
After four “Conjuring” films and 10 total films over 12 years in the “Conjuring Universe”, “Last Rites” seemingly brings the franchise to a close. I can see some more spin-offs being made, but the Waren family got their swan song in this go-around. This is a chilling and very emotionally charged finale for both Ed (Wilson) and Lorraine (Farmiga) as they come out of retirement to not only help one final family, but their own as well.
This last installment, which was directed by Michal Chaves (who also directed three other films in the “Conjuring Universe”), starts with a flashback of Judy Warren’s (Tomlinson) death as she is born. But then miraculously brought back by Lorraine’s prayer and love. All this happens immediately after Lorraine has a terrifying vision involving an antique mirror.
Fast forward to 1986, and currently in semi-retirement because of Ed’s worsening heart condition, they mostly spend their time giving lectures. Judy is now full-grown but is starting to experience disturbing episodes. She had always been sensitive to psychic visions, but it’s now getting worse. This, mixed with the haunting of the Smurl family (another true-life case the movie is based on) is dealing with, draws the Warrens back into action.
Three different spirits haunt the Smurl family, and when the Warrens refuse to help, Father Gordon (played again by Steve Coulter) attempts his own investigation, which results in his death. It’s one of the more tragic deaths in the Conjuring franchise. This draws Judy in; she ignores what is happening to her and goes to the Smurl house. When they realize where she is, both they and her fiancé, Tony (Ben Hardy), rush to her aid. Once there, they understand how crucial it is for them to stay, so begins their final case.
The Warrens learn that the object that is causing all of the issues is something called a conjuring mirror. It was a gift to one of the daughters from the grandparents, and ever since it’s been in their house, the spirits have been making their presence known. Lorraine also figures out that it’s the same mirror from her vision the night that Judy almost died, so they need her to stay away from it.
Through various injuries and mishaps, they get the mirror out of the attic, and between Judy and Lorraine, they are able to banish the demons by touching the mirror and combining their love and faith. All appears to be a happy ending as Ed welcomes Tony to the family, and we get a quick tour around the Warrens’ “museum” and all of the artifacts they’ve collected throughout the Conjuring films. We even get another look at Annabelle as well.
I give kudos to the studio and/or filmmakers for consistently bringing back the same people to play these characters over the entire run of the Conjuring Universe. It’s not normal for a horror franchise to do that unless they skip a few movies and bring them back in a later sequel. It was even amazing to see all of the attendees in the church at the end make an appearance from the first three Conjuring films. That was a fun little thing to pick out.
Overall, this is a good finish to a well-made franchise. The characters played their parts well, and it wrapped everything up nice and neat… if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s not the best entry of the franchise, but it’s a strong and emotional one that puts the Conjuring to bed once and for all. At least until they decide to reboot it. I’m not scared to tell you I give this a 7 out of 10.
Ok, that’s it for me this week. That means that it’s now your turn. Have you seen “The Conjuring: Last Rites” yet? If so, what did you think, and where do you think it sits amongst the other ones in the series? Did it scare you at all? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and I will be back next week with another mindless movie review of some sort.
