The Conjuring: Last Rites Review – Scary or Stale?
The fourth installment in the main ‘Conjuring’ series, titled ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites,’ arrived in cinemas this weekend, asking audiences to once again follow paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren into the darkness.
The film, however, has been met with a mixed response, with many questioning if the franchise’s once-potent formula has finally run its course.
Directed by Michael Chaves, who also helmed the previous entry, ‘The Devil Made Me Do It,’ the new film sees the Warrens (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) travel to a remote convent in Mexico to investigate a series of demonic events plaguing a young nun.
The setup is classic ‘Conjuring,’ complete with a secluded, atmospheric location and a case supposedly based on the real-life files of the famous couple.
Early reactions from critics suggest that while the film delivers on the visual style the series is known for, it struggles to innovate. Many of the scare sequences, while technically well-executed, feel recycled from earlier films in the universe.
A review in a major trade publication noted, “The film relies heavily on jump scares that you can see coming a mile away, lacking the patient, atmospheric dread that made the first movie so effective.”
The performances of Wilson and Farmiga continue to be a high point. Their on-screen chemistry as the Warrens has been the anchor of the series since its debut in 2013, and they once again provide the story with a necessary emotional core.
Still, even their commitment can’t fully mask a script that feels overly familiar. The current audience and critic scores on aggregation sites like Rotten Tomatoes reflect this divided sentiment.
The bigger issue may be franchise fatigue. With nine films in the “Conjuring Universe” so far, including the various spin-offs, the narrative and stylistic templates are well-established. According to box office analysts, the film is projected to have a solid opening weekend, driven by a loyal fanbase.
However, its long-term performance will depend on whether general audiences are still interested in another supernatural investigation that follows a predictable path. Data from industry trackers like Box Office Mojo will soon tell the full story.
For die-hard fans of the Warrens, ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ offers a comfortable, if uninspired, return to a familiar world. For everyone else, it may feel less like a must-see horror event and more like an echo of scares they have seen before.
The film isn’t a complete failure, but it does feel like a franchise that is exhausted and in desperate need of a new idea.
Kyle is a senior writer for Hollyceleb.com, based in Los Angeles where he chronicles the ever-shifting landscape of celebrity culture. His work cuts through the noise to deliver sharp, timely analysis on the biggest stories, from high-profile scandals to viral news moments. With an insider’s perspective, Kyle provides readers with a comprehensive look at the events shaping Hollywood.
