The Conjuring 2: Movie Review

Straight up, "The Conjuring 2" continues the madness that we experience three years ago. As far as sequels go, this is top dog worthy with tension and scares that just got bigger and better. While we loved the thrills, spills and chills, the story was a little less intriguing but we cannot discount that it still had its own jaw-dropping surprises by the time the credits rolled in.

In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) travel to London, England, upon the Church's request to validate the claims of an overwhelmed mother (Frances O'Connor) who has reported that something evil is haunting her house and her youngest daughter Janet (Madison Wolfe). At first, there is doubt that the demonic possession is real but as the investigation continues, Ed and Lorraine realize that not only is the family's lives at stake but also theirs.

It's crazy how "The Conjuring 2" turned out to be. A lot of things could have gone wrong but it didn't. The story might be a lesser version when compared to its predecessor (it was frustrating how the Hodgsons was stubbornly clumsy and the film never concretely explains why the spirit is out to get our protagonists in the first place) but it still had some spunk and attitude that caught us off guard several times. James Wan still knows how to work his magic when it comes to stretching out scenes. A truly horrific maestro is playing the audience and the same buildup and tension is still here and better. While most horror films would scare the living hell out of you during the night, "The Conjuring 2" breaks the formula and makes sure you don't feel safe even when its daytime. It's almost a Lynchian experience if not the same and it's this continuous feeling of dread and finding the occult in the mundane that keeps "The Conjuring 2" an exhilarating experience all throughout.

Rating: 4 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- this is worthy sequel to one of the scariest films in recent times
- James Wan still knows how to bring the scares in an astoundingly efficient manner

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the story was a bit of a letdown