The Conjuring 2

THE CONJURING 2

Director : James Wan

Year : 2016

Genre : Horror

Rating : ***

Killer nuns, Babadook-like crooked men and unsettling ghosties run rampant in this long-awaited sequel to James Wan's  horror smash hit that unexpectedly frightened the worldwide box office into submission upon it's release in Summer 2013. Set six years after the tumultuous events of the first movie, 'The Conjuring 2' is an effective, yet crucially not scary shocker that certainly builds on atmosphere and threat of it's predecessor but is gradually deflated by it's continuous use of the same modern horror conventions that have the made genre so monotonous over the past decade or so. Once again, 'The Conjuring 2' follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga respectively) who must now cross the Atlantic to uncover the truth about a supposed haunting in a small Enfield house and as was the case with the original film, the two are both terrific and deliver strong, believable performances that really help to add to the surprisingly high emotional value of the picture while Wan's idiosyncratically snappy direction helps to wrack up a considerable amount of tension and dread. However, frequent use of the same jump scare tactics used by lesser horror filmmakers really prevents us from experiencing any sense of anticipation, leading up to a crackling finale that may certainly have the chill factor but, most damagingly, not the scare factor. However if the impressive ticket sales and critical reviews are anything to go by, it won't be too long before 'The Conjuring 3' is unleashed - no doubt featuring the horrifying presence of Valak, the murderous apparition who provides 'The Conjuring 2' with many of it's more nerve-jangling moments and about whom a spin-off has already been green-lit.