New Conjuring movie causes fans to debate if the franchise has lost its scare factor

On Sept. 30, I watched the newest Conjuring movie, “The Conjuring: Last Rites.” Online, people had hyped it up to the max. I even heard rumors that some theaters had priests waiting to bless the audience before the film.

At the Regal theater in North Hollywood though, I didn’t get any special treatment or holy blessings of any kind. Maybe it was a limited promotion or only at specific theaters.

Now, the movie wasn’t scary enough to warrant needing protection anyway. I’ve seen all the Conjuring movies, and none of them have ever really scared me. That might be because I don’t get scared easily, or maybe because the franchise has shifted away from truly terrifying moments in favor of keeping the series alive.

Going in, my expectations were right in the middle — not too hyped, but not expecting the movie to be horrible either.

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” follows Ed and Lorraine Warren as they investigate supernatural incidents related to a cursed church relic. This artifact appears to be causing violent accidents, and as usual, the Warrens dig deeper.

They eventually uncover a dark connection between the relic and a tormented family, with the story’s climax playing out inside the church. While the story is unsettling in some moments, like most Conjuring movies, it leans more towards telling the story than trying to scare people.

The movie definitely wasn’t the worst of the franchise. Some parts felt a little corny and not well-made, but overall it wasn’t bad. It still couldn’t outdo the first Conjuring movie, but as the fifth iteration in the franchise, it was fine.

My favorite thing about the movie was the chemistry between Ed and Lorraine. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga play their roles wonderfully, and I always look forward to seeing their dynamic in the newest Conjuring films.

The story itself was unsettling but I think with all The Conjuring movies, it’s more about telling the story and not really trying to scare people.

That said, the ending is where the film lost me. Still, since the movie claims to be based on a true story, the producers might have felt a need to go forward with its final conclusion.

For the most part, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is far from the scariest horror movie out there, but it’s a solid watch. If you’re looking for something spooky to set the Halloween mood, I would recommend watching this movie with your friends on a cool October night.

Overall Rating: 7/10
Overall Scare Factor: 4.5/10
Accuracy of the Leaks: 4/10