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EDITOR'S PICK
`The
Conjuring` a credible illusion
Rating: *****
There is a rural house with its tragic history, a haunted family, creaky doors,
a spooky hidden cellar, a conduit and the exorcists. There is nothing new in
'The Conjuring' that one has not witnessed in a spooky atmospheric ghost
stories. Yet, it is an exceptional film.
The film is a real life case story based on the horror experiences of the
seven-member Perron family comprising Roger and Carolyn Perron and their five
daughters - Andrea, Cindy, Nancy, Christine and April - who along with their dog
Saddie moved into their country house in Harrisville, Rhode Island in the winter
of 1971.
They witness strange things in the house and initially pass it off as
hallucination. But then things spin beyond their control with mysterious
goings-on.
After being spooked with uncanny activities in the house, Carolyn Perron invites
the Warrens, Ed and Lorraine, well-known paranormal investigators and
demonologists, to get rid of their troubles.
The duo, despite their own personal problems, brace themselves to help the
Perrons.
It is the ladies, Lili Taylor as Carolyn Perron and Vera Farmiga as Lorrain
Warren who steal the show. They demonstrate their pain along with their
determination as well as helplessness with simple, yet effective, display of
emotions.
Ron Livingston as Roger is bland and dead-pan. The only time he seems to be
convincing is when he seems lost and helpless in the scenes his wife gets
possessed.
Patrick as Ed Warren is humdrum though he has scope to perform. The young girls
are adorable and have nothing much to offer in this horror drama.
Scripted by the twin Hayes brothers, Chad and Carey, the film has a look and
feel that is so reminiscent of the family horror films of the 1970s. What sets
the low-budget film apart is director James Wan's touch. It is easily his most
refined film till date.
His previous movies like "Saw", "Dead Silence" and
"Death Sentence" were out-an-out gory films. But this one is just
rightly balanced.
He has invested the right amount of effort in building the characters and
tautness in the film. He has ensured that there is no rhythm with the shock
scenes and this unpredictability is what really spooks you out of your wits.
There are times when he has inserted a few silly jump-scare edits, but on the
whole there are several crucial moments that are stellar.
The setting of the house on the bank of a lake with a pier jutting into the
water and the huge tree in the foreground adds to the mysterious elements.
The camera angles and placement too has contributed a lot to make it a visually
smooth film. The frames are unique and the unusual device movement has helped in
capturing some really jaw dropping moments.
"The Conjuring" is a finely crafted film that will spook the faint
hearted and would amuse the bravehearts. Go watch it.
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