Based on the 1981 legal case of Arne Cheyenne, The Conjuring returns with it’s third instalment following the Warrens, Ed (Patrick Wilson) & Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) in their pursuit of more supernatural goings on and their never ending quest to thwart demons at every turn.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
What you have here in the third part of The Conjuring is something a bit more than a cash in, after all there are several more tales in the Warrens history that can be used moving forward. However, it never really hits as the film becomes a confused mess of court room drama, come mystery and the supernatural elements added in to keep the fans happy. In fact the films opening is possibly the most terrifying and disturbing moment of the film, with the exorcism of a young child (Julian Hillard). After this is done and dusted, the film settles in for the aforementioned investigation and court room scenes without really giving it’s audience what it really wants. Less The Conjuring, more John Grisham’s The Conjuring.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do it, is the first of the films not to feature James Wan as director and it shows. The earlier films had his particular edge to them and while director Michael Chaves (The Curse Of la Llorona) does a commendable job, it loses it’s edge somewhat and decends into a generic supernatural thriller with some uninspiring jump scares and underwhelming story and visuals.
However what keeps its head above water is Wilson and Farmiga, who return once more in the lead roles, bringing a comfortable gravitas to proceedings. For fans of the series there’s some service in the shape of recognisable artefacts from some of the other movies in the series but it may take the Devil making you do it to enjoy this entry. One for the die hard Conjuring crowds.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is available on Blu Ray, Digital Download and DVD now.
