Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one last terrifying case involving mysterious entities they must confront.
Chuck says:
Since their arrival with the 2013 horror hit “The Conjuring,” I’ve looked forward to the periodically checking in with Ed and Lorraine Warren. Portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, I’ve come to regard them as the Nick and Nora Charles of our generation. Instead of solving murders in tony, high-class locales, they get to the bottom of supernatural doings among the working class. Same premise, different tone, but as in the various “Thin Man” sequels we see the characters age, the changes in their lives affecting how they go about their business. This approach helps make the Warrens and their misadventures seem even more relatable; somehow it feels good to realize they’re slowing down just as you are.
The latest and supposed last entry in the “Conjuring” series, “Last Rites,” is tinged with nostalgia on multiple fronts. Not only does the viewer experience this in returning to this franchise but the characters do as well, events from their past coming back to haunt them. Yes, that goes with the paranormal territory they frequent, but it has a profound, personal impact on them this time around.
“Rites” begins in 1964 with the Warrens investigating a case of demonic possession. Lorraine is pregnant and upon setting eyes on the entity in question, she goes into labor. The demon follows the couple to the hospital in the hopes of claiming the child but his efforts are thwarted…or so they think.
A leap forward to 1986 finds us in the Pittston, Pennsylvania home of the Smurl family, a clan of eight who are being terrorized by supernatural forces. As this is occurring, the Warrens’ daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson) begins to suffer debilitating visions of horrific events. Having not witnessed them first-hand, she and her parents are at a loss as to why they are happening or what they mean. How this ties in with the trials the Smurls are enduring, I’ll leave for you to discover.
To Warner Brothers’ credit, they’ve continued to maintain a high-level of production value throughout the series and “Rites” is no exception. The sets are elaborate and detailed, the creep factor heightened throughout. As with producer James Wan’s other horror franchise “Insidious,” there’s a distinctive style to the “Conjuring” films that remains consistently effective and, in some ways, welcomed by fans of the genre. No corners are cut in rendering them, providing a foundation of realism that exacerbates the horror that occurs within them.
The performances by all are convincing as well, Wilson and Farmiga effortlessly interacting as an old married couple, bringing a conviction to the film’s more horrific moments that’s always been the key ingredient in making us believe in all that is going on. Tomlinson, a relative newcomer, keeps pace with them and were Warners to make a spin-off series focused on Judy, they’ve found a capable actress to anchor it.
Ultimately, the script by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick ends up being a millstone around the film’s neck. Clocking in at over two hours, the movie is filled with redundant incidents, preventing any momentum to build. Multiple scenes of the Smurls being put through the wringer and Judy being subjected to traumatizing dreams leads to a sense of impatience rather than terror. The structure of these films is well-established, and director Michael Chaves would have done well to get to the third-act payoff much quicker.
As a result, “Rites” overstays its welcome. Be that as it may, the Warrens still prove to be pleasant hosts, ones I’ll miss when it comes to discovering all those things that go bump in the night.
2 1/2 Stars
