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The Conjuring 3 Movie Review

The Conjuring 3 is a 2021 supernatural horror film directed by Michael Chaves and starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. It’s another stellar entry in this great franchise.

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“I think I hurt someone“

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Once again, The Warrens investigate a murder that may be linked to a demonic possession. This third entry actually deals with a different type of story that is once again “based” on a real life event, a murder committed by Arne Cheyenne Johnson and the trial that superseded it. This murder happened, but of course the movie makes it seem that the demonic possession was very much real and the culprit of the said murder.

Pushing those problematic “based on a true story” statements aside, the storyline itself was very interesting and quite different than its predecessors. The added murder and trial element made for a a unique new perspective where the public clashed with the Warrens and the church. The structure is also interesting as the first sequence is the exorcism part that was very climactic, but it was only the opening. The rest of the film changed focus to Arne and then eventually to the Warrens themselves who got attacked.

And this is where we get to the really great stuff. The Warrens. By focusing so heavily on their characters’ plight, the film was elevated significantly as these two have always been the heart and soul of this entire series. Playing them perfectly, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga once again delivered in spades as they’re both charming and quite charismatic. The film also benefits from the flashback scenes of their first meeting, which made for a surprisingly romantic take on the usual horror flick. They are just so wonderful and the biggest reason why this series works.

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In terms of the scares, clearly this movie is the least scary of the trilogy so far as the first one was frightening and even the second one got some genuinely scary moments interspersed throughout. This third entry doesn’t go that far, but a couple of moments are still immaculately executed, thus achieving a level of creepiness that’s expected from the franchise.

The Occultist is by far the scariest thing in this movie. She was very creepy and her smart methods at getting to the Warrens made for a truly formidable villain. The best part is the one where Ed is possessed and he attacks Lorraine. It culminated in such an emotional moment with the flashback. All of the scenes in the tunnel were very intense and perfectly executed.

The Conjuring 3 doesn’t have the same authenticity of its predecessors in terms of technical aspects. The series switched directors this time around, which was unfortunate as James Wan’s touch was lost here. Gone is the kinetic, visceral energy and feel of the previous movies directed by Wan. Instead, we got a visually appealing, but somewhat subdued and less artistic take on the franchise by Michael Chaves.

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The elaborate sets are the highlights and the atmosphere is there, but the jump scares are less effective this time around, though the mythology and storytelling are quite intricate per usual. Whenever the film focused on those investigative sequences, it was a delight, but in focusing on just the Warrens, the family that started the movie felt underdeveloped.