The Things Mothers Do To Their Children

The Conjuring

Over the years, the horror genre in film has evolved and sometimes even repeated itself. Even the subgenres of horror film, from the classic monster movie, to the slasher flick, to the most recent torture horror. I think that the one subgenre that will always put a little fright in us for all time is the paranormal.

In 1971, Roger and Carolyn Perron and their five girls move to a farmhouse in Rhode Island. From the outside the house seems quaint and inviting. But things start to change for the Perron family. Carolyn starts to notice strange bruising, putrid smells throughout the house, and all of the clocks stopping at 3:07 am. As the occurrences begin to worsen, Carolyn seeks the help of two “ghost-hunters”, Ed and Lorraine Warren. What happens to the Perron family after that, no one could have ever expected.

It’s kind of hard to critique the actors in a horror movie because most of the film they are reacting to the surroundings. Most of the actors of this film fall into that same pit. The Perron family is reacting to what is going on around them, Patrick Wilson is reacting to the Perron family, and so on. All but Vera Farmiga, who plays Lorraine Warren. Farmiga gives Warren an almost motherly feel to the film. She senses that it is her duty to protect this family and wants to help them in any way she can. Farmiga, in my opinion, is the only stand out of the film.

James Wan, the director, has added another noteworthy film to his horror credits, which include the first Saw and Insidious. Wan has a wonderful talent for the suspense/horror genre that I believe is on par with Wes Craven. It just seems like Wan wants his characters/actors to have a little more depth than what we are used to seeing in this genre.

I’m going to confess something… I have been quite disappointed with the horror genre for a little while. I’m beginning to think that we, as a culture, have been desensitized to these films and nothing really scares us anymore. And since I’m being honest, expect for the first Saw, the torture horror films were a joke! Although, on some level, I believe that the paranormal subgenre of horror films will always “freak” us out a little. The feeling of someone/something else there that we can’t see, things moving on their own, and who could ever forget the sounds. The Conjuring brings all of those classic elements to this ghost story.

What I find interesting as well is, this ghost story is based on actual events. I have seen an influx in true event horror films in recent years and I am starting to wonder… Is real life becoming just as scary as what we see in movies?

Verdict: Worth Your Time. (Actually made me jump a couple times!)