The Warrens travel to Enfield, London to help a single
​mother whose daughter has been possessed by an evil spirit.

HORROR

The Conjuring 2 ​(2016)

Directed by James Wan

Written by Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes, ​James Wan,
​David Leslie Johnson

Starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Frances O'Connor,
Madison Wolfe, Lauren Esposito, Benjamin Haigh, Patrick McAuley, Simon McBurney, ​Maria Doyle Kennedy, Simon Delaney, Bob Adrian

​Sequel to 2013's The Conjuring

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Connor Eyzaguirre

​June 12, 2016

8/10

Horror sequels are almost always unnecessary and unwanted. They frequently suck and sometimes end up tarnishing the legacy of the first film. It's a law of nature that is rarely broken. Remarkably, The Conjuring 2 bypassed everything it was supposed to do and ended up being one of the most frightening and entertaining horror sequels ever made, one that I would place on the same level as Evil Dead 2 or Bride of Frankenstein. It gives us more insight into the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren and shows us another of their most infamous cases. This time, it's the Enfield Poltergeist, the most documented case of paranormal phenomena ever.

The monsters in The Conjuring 2 are a creepy demonic nun and a vicious British old man ghost. While this would be either cliche or ridiculous in the hands of most horror directors, under James Wan, both of these become spine-chillingly creepy. There are a number of scenes in this film that will one day be iconic in the horror community, particularly everything involving The Crooked Man. Also, I must praise the decision to open with the Warrens' investigation into the Amityville haunting. Not only did seeing those iconic windows again give me goosebumps, it told me I was not going to be disappointed.

I'm surprised at the critical acclaim and financial success that The Conjuring 2 is achieving, even though it deserves all of it. It's extremely rare for a horror sequel to be this good. After the lukewarm reception of Annabelle, the success of this film just shows that only James Wan can adapt the case files of the Warrens with the horror and respect they deserve. This is yet another great horror film to add to the watchlist around Halloween, right next to the first film.