THE CONJURING 2

US, 2016, 134 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Frances O' Connor, Madison Wolfe, Simon Mc Burney, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Simon Delaney, Franka Potente.
Directed by James Wan.

The first Conjuring film was a box office success, audiences very interested in the demonic themes and the confrontation of Ed and Lorraine Warren against the Demons. The screenplay was based on actual characters and events, especially with the impact of the Amityville possession in 1976, the role of the Warrens and the subsequent books, feature films and sequels. The Warrens had plenty of stories, and had become media celebrities, a sequel was inevitable. It is, however, a sequel which has received critical praise and box office success.

Ed and Lorraine Warren, played again by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farniga, conducted sessions in a variety of houses over several decades. While they were a couple who had heightened sensitivities and sensibility towards the demonic, they were also officially connected with the Catholic church. They did many of their investigations on behalf of the church, something which is taken up in this film, a priest visiting them and urging them to go to England where there were reports of strange happenings in the outer London area of Enfield.

The film actually opens with some sessions about Amityville. During the sitting, Lorraine has out-of-body experiences, accompanying the killer to the various rooms, her arms doing the shot gun movements, a single lineup of victims, and the sense of the demonic presence. This continues later, after she has seen her husband painting a portrait of a horrific nun, a vision she had seen, and has a further confrontation with the nun and a premonition of Ed’s death. She asks husband not to do any more consultations.

The priest is persuasive and they go to London, meeting the Hodgson family. Peggy Hodgson (Frances O’ Connor) has four children, has been abandoned by her husband, has little money. Suddenly, one of her daughters, Janet (Madison Wolfe) starts to experience what seem to be poltergeist happenings. But, at times she is possessed by a sinister presence, seemingly an old man who had died in an armchair in the downstairs room. When the happenings increase, the police are called, the children have to move in with neighbours, the media become interested as does the psychic who believes in the hauntings, Simon Mc Burney, and an expert who is very sceptical, Franco Potente.

The Warrens are present only for a few days, they share experiences with the family, Lorraine empathising with Janet, Ed getting the trust of the family, even to doing some repair jobs in the house. The film builds up to climactic sequences, the testing of Janet’s voice to see whether she is telling the truth, a surveillance video adding to the scepticism, and the Warrens reluctantly leaving.

However, there is a dramatic development, needless to say, and they return for a final confrontation, Ed in danger of fulfilling his wife’s premonition of death, Lorraine having the name of the Demon and confronting it.

Ever since The Exorcist, that has been a continuous interest in demonic presence and confrontations and exorcism. This film, persuasively acted, with an authentic feel of London in the rain, is a credible addition to the genre – even if many will be sceptical about the credibility of the claims of true stories. (Lorraine Warren and one of the children, Billy Hodgson, acted as technical advisors to the film.)

Director James Wan has quite a list of horror thrillers including Saw, the two Insidious films and now the two Conjuring films.

1. The impact of the original film? A successful sequel? Developing themes and characters?

2. Based on a true story, the records, the photos and tapes in the final credits? How credible the events?

3. Ed and Lorraine Warren, in the first film, establishing their credentials? Their role, Demon hunters, their connection with the Catholic Church, their sensitivities to the demonic? Their role in Amityville? Interviewed on television, radio, sceptics against them?

4. The introduction, the Amityville situation? The setting, the group gathered, Lorraine’s experience, reliving the killings, seeing them, her arm actions with the gun? The lineup of the victims? Her fears? The presence of the Demon? Her later experience at home, with her daughter, the noise in the corridor, seeing the nun, Ed and his painting of the nun, the confrontation, a premonition of Ed’s death with the broken branch? The panic in writing the Demon’s name in the Bible? Ed and her asking him to stop for the time being? The characters of the couple, their trust, love, marriage?

5. The Enfield hauntings and the documentation? UK, London, the ordinary suburbs and streets, ordinary people? The Hodgson household, the absent father and his twins with the other woman, his taking all the records? Four children, Peggy looking after them, harassed, no money? At school, Janet caught smoking with her friend, the principal’s complaint, her mother not believing her? Bill, his stammer, his being bullied at school? The children at home?

6. The film’s gradual buildup, steady intimations of horror, demonic presence? Janet, her experiences, the presence of the old man, his name, explanation of his story, his malevolence? Janet and Margaret sharing the room, the sinister experiences, noises? Johnny, the tent, the truck moving on its own? Sounds and movements, bangings? The effect on the children, on Peggy? Going to the neighbours, Vic and his wife, their kindness, taking the family in? Witness to what was happening? The police arriving, initially wary, their experiences?

7. Peggy, as a character in herself, having to cope, relying on the neighbours, looking after her children? The police arriving, the questions? The media?

8. The media host, the interrogation in the home, Anita Gregory and her scepticism, Maurice and his concern, the death of his daughter, his afterlife hopes? Gathering, the televising of the session, the interrogation of the spirits, reactions? The issue of whether all this was a hoax? Peggy taking advantage of improved accommodation applications?

9. The priest, visiting the Warrens, their commission, the role of the church, investigations, caution about hoaxes?

10. The Warrens agreeing to go to London, meeting Peggy and the family, staying in the house, the room? Lorraine with Janet, the talk on the swing, Lorraine telling stories, Janet responding? Ed, his listening? The visit of Maurice,? Surveillance, Anita Gregory and the video camera, capturing Janet herself smashing the furniture?

11. Ed and the house, fixing things, the experience in the basement?

12. Janet and Peggy alone, in the house, the reuniting with the children? Johnny, his experience, Janet in the cupboard?

13. The cumulative effect, the old man, dying in the chair, his voice, the test with Janet and the water in her mouth, the voices being heard? The Demon? Lorraine and Ed having to leave? Peggy and her dismay?

14. The atmosphere in winter, the rain, Christmas – and Ed singing Elvis’s song?

15. Ed and Lorraine leaving, the sense of dread, in the train, listening to the tapes, combining the tapes, the old man saying he was prevented from leaving, the Demon? Lorraine realising that to name the Demon was to have power over it?

16. The return, being locked out of the house, into getting the basement, coming up through the floor? Lorraine, getting the Bible, finding the name of the Demon? Getting in, the difficulties in the way, the water, the steam, going to the upper room, Janet and Ed leaning on the window, Ed holding, the curtain rails, ready to fall, the lightning and the broken branch, Lorraine and her premonition? Lorraine confronting the nun, the Demon, pinned to the wall, saying the name and saving everyone?

17. The Hodgson family together? Ed and Lorraine, the Elvis song, the dancing? The souvenirs in their museum?

18. The final credits, the photos, the recordings?

19. Horror, demonic, eerie, scary – and truthful or not?