The Conjuring: Last Rites Movie Review: Fear, Faith and the Sound of Farewell

The Conjuring franchise holds a special place in the world of horror movies. Since the first film was released in 2013, viewers have been treated to nightmares, chilling moments and the incredible journey of Ed and Lauren Warren in this universe. Now, the ninth installment, The Conjuring: Last Rites—perhaps the final chapter of this franchise. The only question is: does this movie provide a worthy conclusion?

The Conjuring: Last Rites Movie Review

The film begins in 1961. Lauren (Madison Lawlor) and Ed Warren (Orion Smith) are searching an old antique shop when they stumble upon an ominous mirror. The mirror is not just a reflection of glass, but the home of evil forces. Pregnant Lauren stands in front of the mirror, sees a terrifying scene and suddenly feels the pain of labor. The baby is stillborn on a stormy night at the hospital, but miraculously comes back to life as if faith had triumphed over evil forces.

That child grows up to be Judy (Mia Tomlinson), who, like her mother, has the power of foresight.. Many years pass, Ed retires due to a weak heart, and Lauren wants to live a quiet and beautiful life with her family. But fate does not abandon them.

After moving into a new house in Pennsylvania, the Smerle family becomes possessed by a cursed mirror. John Smerle (Peter Wyatt) gives the mirror to his granddaughter Heather (Killa Lord Cassidy) for her birthday. From then on, one evil event after another begins to occur. Heather and her sisters begin to behave strangely, and even Dawn (Beau Gadsdon) vomits shards of glass with blood—which is only a hint of an unusual power.

Neither the church nor the media can help. Finally, Father Gordon (Steve Coulter) summons the Warrens. Although they are hesitant at first, they are again drawn into battle by Judy’s dream. The question remains – is this the most terrifying fight of their lives?

The lifeblood of this franchise is undoubtedly Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. Their characters in Last Rites once again captivate the audience. Farmiga’s compassion, determination and spiritual strength in the role of Lauren are extraordinary. On the other hand, Wilson beautifully portrays Ed’s stubbornness and responsibility to his family despite his ailing body.

Mia Tomlinson’s sinister vision in the role of Judy, and the moments of her relationship with her boyfriend Tony (Ben Hardy) add new life to the film.

The performances of the Smurl family children are also commendable. Heather’s fear and confusion in particular increase the discomfort of the audience.

One of the strengths of the film is its cinematography. The play of light and dark in Eli Bourne’s camera, the mystery of the mirror’s reflection, and the stormy weather create a strange, oppressive fear. In one scene, Judy stands in front of the mirror wearing a wedding dress, and numerous reflections surround her—that moment is both terrifying and thrilling for the audience.

Directed by Michael Chaves, the fear does not come suddenly, but gradually creates a suppressed discomfort. The background score also plays an important role here—sometimes silence, sometimes crackling sounds increase the level of fear.

There is a touch of the old days in the fashion, huge glasses, VCR, or confirmation video scenes. Finding a hint of a ghostly presence from Heather’s video footage—it’s like 80s nostalgia on the one hand, and new horror techniques on the other.

The Conjuring series has always tried to combine fear with faith. This is even more evident in Last Rites. It is shown from the beginning that not only spiritual power, but also the mother’s prayer, family love and faith are the greatest weapons against evil forces.

Here, in addition to exorcism, the tensions in the Warrens’ personal lives are also shown equally. Ed’s illness, desire to retire and the urge to save the family transform the film into an emotional family story, not just a horror film.

Although the film satisfies the audience, it cannot be denied that there is not much novelty in the story. Cursed objects, possession of evil forces in the family, the incompetence of the church, and finally the intervention of the Warrens – this formula has been seen many times in the series. As a result, some parts may seem a bit like the previous ones to experienced viewers.

Excellent performances by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. The old-fashioned atmosphere and cinematography are very beautiful. An emotional story of family and faith along with fear. A new symbolic representation of evil forces centered around mirrors.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is undoubtedly a scary movie when we start to write review, but it’s also a comforting one—like taking one last spooky ride with familiar characters. While it’s not the scariest installment in the series, it’s a beautiful, emotional farewell to the franchise.

For fans of The Conjuring series, it’s definitely worth a watch. And if this is indeed the final installment, it’s safe to say that the Warrens’ story emphasizes the power of faith as much as it does fear.