‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ Has the Scares – Spoiler Free Review
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It doesn’t quite live up to the rest of the franchise, but that doesn’t make it any less scary.
The latest addition to The Conjuring franchise is based on the real-life 1981 murder trial of Arne Johnson. He claimed that a demon jumped from an 11-year-old boy to him. Said demon then caused him to kill his landlord, Bruno Sol. It was the first murder ever recorded in Brookfield, Connecticut. It was a sensation at the time due to that and Johnson’s claim that the devil made him do it.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the Warrens. They’re joined by Julian Hillard as David Glatzel and Ruairi O’Connor as Arne Johnson.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Review
This is the direct sequel to The Conjuring 2. Like the rest of the franchise, which is based on paranormal cases the Ed and Lorraine Warren took on during the 1970s and 1980s. It is more focused on the possession of 11-year-old David Glatzel (how the Warrens got involved in the first place) and making up a new background for Johnson than what happened with the actual court case.
As with a lot of horror movies, it’s hard to get into details without spoiling. The back story they’ve created is filled with all of the elements we’ve come to expect from the franchise. Demons, witches, and Satanists are all in play here. There are a good number of jump scares and well done CG ghouls.
This movie has all of the elements you want in it and goes a little bigger. It has that mood lighting that makes things creepy, and an understanding of the era it’s set in. I’ve always appreciated the realism put into their recreation of the 70s and 80s. It makes the strangeness stand out more, makes it more shocking.
The exorcism scenes are predictably filled with poltergiests, contortions, and demonic voices. Though, having an 11-year-old involved in one of them does make it a little more interesting.
via Warner Bros.
Is It Worth Watching?
All in all, it’s a Conjuring movie loosely based on actual events – it doesn’t disappoint there. It’s a solid possession horror movie with a tight plot that brings back familiar characters. The mystery at the heart of the movie reaches beyond a single house or person and will keep you hooked till the answer is revealed. There are plenty of tense moments that build up to satisfying scares.
There’s not a lot of groundbreaking storytelling in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, though. If you’re looking for another Herditary or It Follows, this isn’t it.
It’s a great pick if you want to watch a scary movie with some popcorn on your couch. It’s on HBOMax now, so you won’t have to venture out to a theater for a horror filled evening.
