“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is the ninth installment in this series….and I was bored. Now, as I stated not too long ago on this blog, I am a strange person when it comes to horror films because I end up laughing instead of being terrified. In this instance, I was just bored, and that’s never a good thing with “The Conjuring” series. Let me set the stage for you.
We start with a flashback of a young Ed and Lorraine, with Lorraine pregnant with Judy, in some creepy shop because they have a demon or ghost problem….because they are the ghostbusters. (I had to.) Any who, Lorraine encounters this ancient looking mirror that looks like someone stole it from an old church and cursed it. Of course she touches it and a demon forces her into labor. At the hospital, a whole host of things happen. Lorraine is screaming, not only from being in pain from being in the middle of delivering a big headed baby, but she also sees a demon in the room with her. We are to assume this demon is upset with Lorraine for touching its stuff, the mirror. Judy is delivered, and a lot goes on there that I won’t spoil just yet. Fast forward, Ed and Lorraine have this huge career but it takes a toll on Ed. He’s had a heart attack in the past, and is warned by his doctor that if he keeps up with his high stress job, he could have another heart attack and die. We don’t want him to die from a heart attack.
So they retire and spend more time at home and concerning themselves with Judy, who shows up with a new man. While this is all dandy and good, we care more about the spirits in the Smurl house. You see, the Smurls live in Pennsylvania, and that mirror Lorraine touched before Judy was abruptly born is in the Smurl house, and now chaos is ensuing in the house.
But guess what?! The Warrens don’t want to help them because they’re retired! Through a series of events, they eventually get over there, but here is the thing with this film and what made it so boring.
We spent a lot of time with Judy. Judy is just like her mom and she can see and feel spirits, but her mother does what Elsa’s dad did. Remember, “Conceal it, don’t feel it?” This is what Lorraine, basically, tells Judy. You would think that at some point there would be a moment before the end where these skills come in handy for the team and Judy. Nope. They wait until the end of the film, and even then it doesn’t even matter as much as you would think it would.
Judy’s boyfriend/fiancé…not helpful. Honestly, he was in the way. Great guy but I didn’t need to actually know him.
The ghosts…confusing. You see, there were two set of spirits. One was a demon, and the other set were hillbillies that once lived in the house. That wasn’t clear until further in the film, and knowing that made it a bit of a confusing watch, to be frank.
Because this is the last film, I think the filmmakers wanted us to really see and feel for the family. I will state again, we came for the demons and the ghosts. Honestly, we don’t even really be paying attention to Ed and Lorraine. They are a means to the end. That’s it. Whenever we have to cut to Ed and Lorraine, I am looking to get back to the demons immediately. It’s a horror film! The people, unfortunately, are secondary.
Last but not least, if this is your last film, I expected more scares. Now, again, I’m a weird person when it comes to horror because not much scares me, but I wanted to jump more than once in this film. Also, please don’t give me a spin off with Judy and her husband. Just don’t. Based on the beginning of the film, and the end for that matter, it feels like you all are setting her up to always be followed around by demons who are coming to take her back to death and her husband will have to be there to protect and save her. Pass.
What did you all think? Was this the end you wanted from “The Conjuring” series?
