“The Conjuring 2” has two story arcs but is half as scary than the original.
One story involves faith based ghostbusters Ed and Larraine Warren, of “Amityville” fame who are being are haunted by a sense of foreboding.
The other concerns the “fact based” account of a single mother in London whose teenage daughter is possessed by a spirit who died in their dingy but expansive flat.
Both these painfully slow set ups come complete with a predictable jumble of slammed doors, creaky stairs and bumps in the night. The man-in-the-mirror-who-is-not-there-when-you-turn around gag always gives me a start.
But the film remainb less than explosive even after the two stories intersect.
It is set in 1977 when equipment used to chronicle these supernatural events was primitive. A crucial clue is found on a reel to reel tape of recordings that actually exist. And Director James Wan, creator of the “Saw” franchise and director of “Furious 7,” uses the BBC news video footage shot at the time in the closing credits and actual audio recordings of sounds that the girl made when possessed in the film.
This material is and reveals how faithful Wan is to it, right down to “Dukes of Hazzard” posters on a bedroom wall.
The film, dare we say franchise, is really about the Warrens, appealingly played by Patrick Wilson as a mutton chopped guitar playing Pastor Tim, and Vera Farmiga, pale as a ghost and dressed like an angel.
But the British characters including tweedy Simon McBirney or the mom played by Frances O’Conno, or the girl played by Madison Wolfe are never anything more than genre delivery systems going through the motions.
The beleaguered parents in the jolting first film, played by Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor, added a gritty we’re all in this together atmosphere to it.
But here the Warrens become crusading spiritual superheroes doing Gods work.
** Two stars
With, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Frances O’Connor, Simon McBirney, Madison Wolfe, Franka Potente, Lauren Esposito.
Produced by Rob Cowan, Peter Safran, James Wan.
Written by Chad Hayes, Cary Hayes, James Wan, David Johnson.
Directed by James Wan.
Rated R; horror and violence. Approimate running time 124 minutes.
Tags: Conjuring, James Wan, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga Posted by