The Conjuring: Last Rites Review
The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) Film Review, a movie directed by Michael Chaves, written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Elliot Cowan, Ben Hardy, Beau Gadsdon, John Brotherton, Mia Tomlinson, Madison Lawlor, Kate Fahy, Shannon Kook, Rebecca Calder, Steve Coulter, Peter Wight, Kila Lord Cassidy, Molly Cartwright, Orion Smith, Tilly Walker and Tony Spera.
Paranormal investgators, Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed (Patrick Wilson) Warren are back in The Conjuring: Last Rites, a final hurrah horror sequel that throws in everything but the kitchen sink and comes up aces in terms of creating genuine scares throughout. Annabelle, the famous doll which is stored in a “safe room,” has never been as alive as she is in this picture. Annabelle has had her own series, but there is one fairly great scene here that gives the character a freaky and enjoyable moment. Of course, the demonic scares are bigger and better this time out and Farmiga and Wilson are in sync with their characterizations from opening to close.
Mainly set about 40 years ago, but stretching back even farther with its opening, The Conjuring: Last Rites has what audiences of this film series want and gives it to them gradually in piecemeal form until the movie’s exciting climax arrives. This film even brings Lili Taylor of the original The Conjuring into the mix for a cameo too so fans of the first film take note.
This film’s most scary plot thread involves a piece of furniture with a mirror in it that has three creepy wooden baby heads at the top. This item gets tossed out into the trash by a couple of young girls due to the creepiness factor of the furniture and, then, after the item is crushed in the garbage, one of the girls starts throwing up glass and blood at the dinner table. This fright fest doesn’t skimp out on possession scenes nor does it shortchange the audience on chemistry between the Warrens and quality scenes showcasing their bond with daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson) and her new boyfriend, Tony (Ben Hardy).
Of course, how much knowledge you bring to the table of possessions and the previous films in the franchise will determine how much you enjoy this new two hour-plus finale in a series that has had some ups and downs, but always maintained good vibes with viewers thanks to the tremendous chemistry Farmiga and Wilson bring to the table.
Tomlinson and Hardy create some believable romantic chemistry together as Judy gets to know Tony while Tony grows accustomed to a very unusual family that includes a couple of very talented paranormal investigators. You can feel Tony and Judy’s love for one another and these roles are sharply written over the course of the film. Kíla Lord Cassidy also shines as Heather Smurl who is part of the family that experiences hell on earth in this new picture. Cassidy has some genuinely intriguing scenes here that are meant to frighten at times, but always feel substantial thanks to the depth the actress brings to the role.
The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers the goods in terms of several big jump scares. An Annabelle that actually walks around is the scariest concept thrown into the mix, but the scene of throwing up glass and blood also allows for some terrifying thematic elements to be sprinkled in as well. There’s the bond between Ed and Lorraine, in addition, that is explored dramatically and these sequences can be cherished by audiences who have been following these characters in movies for well over a decade now.
Wilson has the best line in the picture near the end when he tells Tony, “Welcome to the Family.” This movie, as a whole, reinvents the series through many different creepy plot developments. That horrific piece of furniture must be put in its place in the safe room, too, if possible, even though the garbage truck seemed to have destroyed it. Farmiga has probably been better in this same role in other The Conjuring movies, but, as always, it’s hard to take your eyes off her as she is full of intelligence and sophistication.
In the end, The Conjuring: Last Rites pulls out all the stops. You want ghastly images? Check. Need scary possibilities regarding what the good characters can actually become when possessed? You got it. Most of all, though, at the heart of the movie is the fact that director Michael Chaves wants to give the audience what it wants to enjoy this movie to the fullest. Some gruesome action seems thrown in willy-nilly at times, but the viewer will appreciate this film’s style and precision in terms of how it stages its horror scenes which are integrated well within the human stories of the lead characters from beginning to end.
While this film holds the potential to be the last The Conjuring film, I’m actually not buying that idea. Though it concludes with notes about the deaths of the Warrens, they can pick up the in-between story of them and how they maintained their love for one another at any time. It may also be interesting to see a behind-the-scenes look of how the Warrens sustained their frightening professions for so long.
The Conjuring fans, take note. The Conjuring: Last Rites is a bigger and better sequel that is absolutely relentless in getting things done while avoiding skimping out on all the scary scenes the audiences have come to expect from this lucrative franchise. Wilson and Farmiga age like fine wine and this film is a guaranteed scare fest that will keep viewers and fans, especially, enthralled throughout.
Rating: 7.5/10
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