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What is it that scares you? It’s not difficult to figure out what makes James Wan nervous. The horror films of the 1970s and 1980s clearly influenced the director’s sense of cinematic fear, as evidenced by his work, which frequently evokes classics from the era such as “The Omen” and “Poltergeist.” In many ways, “The Conjuring 2” is the “ultimate James Wan film,” as it allows the filmmaker to experiment with different styles of the time period while telling the story of one of the most famous paranormal activities of the time period: the infamous Enfield poltergeist. Even more appealing is the fact that he is able to connect this film (“The Amityville Horror”) to the “true story” behind another horror classic from his childhood. With “The Conjuring 2,” director James Wan is a kid in a haunted candy store, and his talent (as well as that of his team) make this kind of ride enjoyable, even if it lacks the visceral, confident impact of the original.
It is revealed that Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are investigating the aftermath of the murders that have come to be known as “The Amityville Horror” in the first episode of the sequel. Known for her uncanny ability to communicate with supernatural beings, Lorraine was summoned to Amityville to confirm that what happened there was demonic in nature, rather than the work of the patriarch’s homicidal rage. Lorraine has an out-of-body experience while sitting around a table in the DeFeo dining room, which allows her to see the shotgun murders that took place in the house, as well as a “Demon Nun” (Bonnie Aarons), who will haunt Lorraine throughout the film and issue a warning that Ed’s days are numbered.
Following the Amityville prologue, the action shifts to Enfield, England (we know we’re in England because Wan, who isn’t known for being particularly subtle in his direction, uses the song “London Calling” on the soundtrack, which is an obvious choice that is more playful than irritating). We are introduced to the Hodgson family, which is led by single mother Peggy (Frances O’Connor) and consists of four kids. When Janet (Madison Wolfe) is caught smoking by her teacher, she begins to experience significant problems at home that far exceed those she experienced when she was first caught. It starts with sleepwalking, progresses to hearing noises in the middle of the night, and eventually results in possession of the victim. Unknown to the girl, a man named Bill Wilkins (Bob Adrian) appears to have the ability to take over her body and speak through her, resulting in some infamous recordings in which a young girl sounds decidedly like an old man. This, however, is nowhere near as frightening as the crosses that turn upside down or the visions of the “Cruel Man.” As a result, the local authorities contact the Warrens, who arrange for the Hodgson family to travel to England in order to determine whether or not they are faking the haunting or to prevent them from becoming the next Amityville.
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Children in jeopardy, a stressed-out mother, and an aging home. Does this sound familiar? It ought to. When it comes to the plot, Wan and his screenwriters purposefully follow many of the same beats as the first film, presenting us with a set-up that feels far too similar to the first film. The film also disappoints by comparison because O’Connor’s character isn’t given nearly the depth of Lili Taylor’s character in the first film. Taylor’s underappreciated performance in that film contributed to the film’s realism by grounding the fear tactics in something real. A secondary cast, introduced with minor definition (Mom is concerned about money, one of the boys stutters, etc.) and then put-upon to the point that the Warrens must intervene and save the day, is featured in “The Conjuring 2.” Despite Wolfe’s excellent work in capturing the fear of a young girl who has no idea what is going on (as well as being truly terrifying when the situation calls for it), the characters in “The Conjuring 2” don’t resonate with us, and as a result, we aren’t as invested in what happens to them.
The Conjuring 2 Quiz
This is not to say that Wan has completely lost his ability to scare the living daylights out of us. Using camera tricks and forced perspective, Wan and his team, working with acclaimed cinematographer Don Burgess (a regular collaborator of Robert Zemeckis on everything from “Forrest Gump,” for which he won an Academy Award, to “Flight,” among other projects), have an incredible ability to elicit fear in the audience. After establishing the setting, they’ll zoom in on an individual’s face before quickly zooming out to reveal that something important has changed. They avoid using traditional jump-scare edits because they know that staying in one shot while the rest of the world becomes terrifying around and within it is much scarier. They also enjoy experimenting with supernatural points of view (such as the floating camera above the action in the house) and with the information they reveal to us. Janet is either possessed or not by Bill in the background of a fantastic scene in which Wan and Burgess keep their focus on Ed Warren’s face, allowing us to work out what is going on behind him with our imaginations. When at their best, Wan’s incredible camera skills combine with his childlike sense of wonder—the sound of someone (or something) whistling “This Old Man,” a fire engine toy that moves on its own, a dog bell that every modern horror viewer knows will eventually signal danger—to create the kind of thrill ride the director is so clearly attempting to replicate in his film. He didn’t just make a film set in the 1970s; he also employs cinematic tricks from the era, evoking classics such as “The Omen” and “The Shining,” but with a more contemporary perspective.
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While “The Conjuring 2” falls short of the films that inspired it (or the original), this isn’t because of the filmmaking laziness that we see so often in horror (especially sequels), but rather because Wan and company are having too much fun to concentrate on making a good film. While the film is impressively long, at least 15 minutes could have been cut from the running time to make for a tighter, scarier ride. The non-stop haunting can become numbing after a while, reducing its ability to scare people. Despite the dedication of Wan and his team—as well as Farmiga and Wilson, who give their all to their sometimes-funny roles—the journey is not without its bumps and bruises. However, “The Conjuring 2” can be too easily recognized to get under our skin completely. Aspects of the film are technically impressive, and that alone will satisfy many Wan fans (as well as those of us who are tired of Hollywood horror films that frequently demonstrate no filmmaking ability at all). However, ghost stories don’t have the same impact the second time you hear them, and this is especially true for this film. Even the frightening ones.
For more personality quizzes check this: The Angry Birds Movie Quiz.
