This past weekend, I caught The Conjuring: Last Rites at AMC Westminster Promenade. You know that moment in the pre-show when the lights began to dim? Let’s just say, when they did, I braced myself, and for good reason. The film delivered a fair share of jump scares, some of which genuinely caught me off guard.
As the supposed finale of The Conjuring series: Last Rites brings a sense of closure to a decade-long saga. While the scares were solid, I found myself laughing at a few scenes, not because they were poorly done, but because of how much they leaned into callbacks from earlier films. For longtime fans, these moments feel like inside jokes; for newcomers, they might come across as unintentionally funny.
Plot-wise, the story revolves around a cursed mirror, a haunted farmhouse, and a string of dark family secrets. After a tragic affair ends in murder, Ed and Lorraine Warren find themselves drawn back into the world of the supernatural while grappling with Ed’s declining health. Meanwhile, their daughter Judy (now grown up) steps into the spotlight, determined to confront the demonic forces herself. The film builds toward the Warrens reluctantly coming out of retirement to face one final battle.
From a storytelling standpoint, the plot isn’t the strongest. At times, it feels predictable, and some horror elements could have been pushed further to heighten the fear factor. Still, as a send-off, it works. The callbacks hit hard for longtime viewers, and the conclusion provides enough payoff to feel like a proper farewell. Overall, I’d give The Conjuring: Last Rites a 3.5 out of 5 stars. It’s not the scariest horror movie you’ll see this year, but as a finale, it delivers enough suspense, nostalgia, and fan service to satisfy audiences who’ve been following the Warrens’ story from the beginning.
