The Conjuring Universe of movies began in 2013, comprising The Conjuring, Annabelle, and The Nun, all set in the same universe. Ed and Lorraine Warren return one more time for their fourth and final film, The Conjuring: Last Rites, now showing in cinemas worldwide.

Set five years after the events of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren have since taken it easy, still promoting their work through seminars and writing books. Jack and Janet Smurl, along with their family, move into a brand-new dream home in Pennsylvania, which soon turns into a living nightmare as their house begins to show signs of demonic infestation. With no one else to turn to, they reach out to Ed and Lorraine, who are forced back into work and take on their most disturbing case to date, which became infamously known as the Smurl Haunting.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as real-life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. The film does a great job of showing how their reputation has been developing over the years, even though they are semi-retired. They also get to show a happier side to themselves and just be a couple without having to worry about their work. Of course, when it’s time to get to work, they don’t hesitate and get straight into action with their gear handy. They’ve shown a lot of character development after their many years of experience, but they never take their work lightly. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have always had fantastic on-screen chemistry, and their latest film together might be their best yet.

Joining the cast is Mia Tomlinson as Judy Warren, who Sterling Jerins and Mckenna Grace previously played. Judy is the daughter of Ed and Lorraine, and, like her parents, has been experiencing her own paranormal events throughout most of her life.

Despite this, she still tries to live a normal life and have a relationship with her boyfriend, Tony Spera, played by Ben Hardy. Even though they’ve only been dating for six months, he proves his devotion to Judy no matter the circumstances.

The Smurl Haunting was a real paranormal case investigated by Ed and Lorraine in 1986. The Smurl family is made up of Janet, played by Rebecca Calder, Jack Smurl, played by Elliot Cowan, Dawn by Beau Gadsdon, Shannon by Molly Cartwright, and Heather by Kíla Lord Cassidy. A lot of the violent scenes happen to or around the family. Kíla Lord Cassidy, as Heather Smurl, is featured the most and appears in the opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the film.

The latest Conjuring film is a horror film, but also a part romance film. It shows Ed and Lorraine trying to take things easy and enjoy their marriage, especially after what happened to Ed in the previous film. Judy and Tony also receive plenty of screen time to showcase their relationship and how they interact with Ed and Lorraine. Ed isn’t sure of Tony, but Ed slowly warms up to him when he shows genuine interest in their work. Those expecting a pure horror movie may be disappointed, as a significant portion of the film focuses on the romance side. However, this aspect does help make things more personal, allowing audiences to care more deeply for the characters when their lives are at risk.

There are still plenty of horror scenes to satisfy fans of the genre. It may not be the scariest horror film out there, but the scare factor is subjective. This film’s horror style plays heavily into religion, particularly Christianity, and anyone deeply religious will likely be more scared by knowing the context behind these supernatural entities. Characters experiencing supernatural events means audiences will see them hallucinating and losing control of themselves, as well as supernatural beings, and plenty of blood being spilled.

There are plenty of jump scares, but they’ve become too predictable with how they’re built up, much like the other films in the Conjuring Universe. There are a few jump scares that will catch you off guard, but overall, they don’t feel as impactful when it’s too obvious they’re going to happen. The final Conjuring film is still a scary one, but could’ve been done better. The film’s score was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch to create that uneasy, haunting feel.

The storytelling in the Conjuring Universe films shines the most, even in darkness. It does a fantastic job of explaining the details behind the paranormal events that occur, while also continuing the stories of Ed and Lorraine and the influence they’ve had on the world. Whether the supernatural events of the Smurl Haunting actually occurred is debatable, as is the case with any other real-life supernatural story.

Still, the case was at least a real investigation conducted by Ed and Lorraine, and it’s interesting to see it presented on film. The supernatural events are, of course, exaggerated in the movie, as it’s hard to believe they happened exactly as depicted. Still, they are exciting to watch, adding more urgency and intensity to the story.

Ed and Lorraine’s last big case is a wild one and goes deep into the story of the real-life case of the Smurl Haunting. It’s not 100% confirmed if there will be more movies in the Conjuring Universe, but as for the Conjuring films themselves, The Conjuring: Last Rites is the final film in that series, and it goes out in a big way.

Written by: Sammy Hanson