[Review] The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It(2021) {6.5/10}

Directed by Michael Chaves, with a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick from a story by Johnson-McGoldrick and James Wan, the film serves as a sequel to The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016) and as the eighth installment in the Conjuring Universe. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as paranormal investigators and authors Ed and Lorraine Warren, with Ruairi O'Connor (Arne Cheyenne Johnson), Sarah Catherine Hook (Debbie Glatzel), and Julian Hilliard (David Glatzel) also starring. James Wan and Peter Safran return to produce the film, which is based on the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, a murder trial that took place in 1981 Connecticut, in addition to The Devil in Connecticut, a book about the trial written by Gerald Brittle.

The plot follows paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) in 1981 and they are in the middle of the exorcism of a young boy, David (Julian Hilliard), that doesn't seem to be working. Arne (Ruairi O'Connor), the boyfriend of David's sister, Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook), grabs him and invites the demon into him. Before long, Arne starts to feel strange. While in some kind of trance, he stabs and kills a family friend and goes to jail. The Warrens hope to get him released by reason of demon possession and go to work to find out more about the creature responsible. But their first lead, a strange witch's totem left underneath the house, suggests other forces at work.

With James Wan no longer at the helm, the third Conjuring movie feels more like a weary episode of an old detective TV show than the metaphysical, kinetic, and terrifying previous entries. The Curse of la Llorona director Michael Chaves takes charge this time and offers up a movie that's more about detective work and beating the clock than about the supernatural or the paranormal. Part of what made The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016) so special wasn't only Wan's intensely visceral use of sound and space to generate chills, but also their sense that these "true stories" opened a door on what was possible. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It doesn't seem that curious or scary. Chaves serves up some of the usual horror stuff, including contorting bodies with accompanying "clicking" noises, things rushing toward the camera, and "boo!" jump-scares. As the eighth entry in the "Conjuring Universe," the movie doesn't seem to add much to the series. But at its heart are the Warrens, and Farmiga and Wilson still bring a little extra to make their characters fascinating, lovable, and special. Ed is recovering from a heart attack in this one, making him more vulnerable and sympathetic. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It also digs a little deeper into the couple's storybook romance, including delightful moments like the one in which Ed tries to dissuade Lorraine from exploring a dark crawlspace. But Warner Bros. studio cut a lot of scenes from the movie which is not surprising considering their past records. We would have gotten the backstory of the demon and a lot of other darker elements. The ending of the movie was changed with re-shoots during post-productions. All in all, this horror sequel is intense, but not as good as previous films.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is now available on HBO Max and selected theatres.