The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

I appreciate what The Conjuring series has done on its own, even if the results outside of the core films are less than stellar (with a few exceptions).

I've not caught all those "in-between" films because, honestly, a horror universe is only mildly interesting to me and I take this series as more of a passive watcher, only super intrigued in the main films versus all of them.

When The Conjuring 3 was announced, I was excited, having enjoyed the original and its sequel. I probably enjoy the sequel slightly more, aside from being way too long, because it feels more epic and the "Nun" creature is the stuff of nightmares. 

The Conjuring 3 eventually turned into The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Aside from being a very generic (and stupid) title, something felt...off...about that name change. Could it be that they're calling it something else so that an eventual Conjuring 3 directed by James Wan, could be made? 

Either way, I was in without Wan, largely because the chronicles of Ed and Lorraine Warren - based on their actual experiences - are horrific and interesting, while their portrayals by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are stellar and believable. Deciding to skip the theater for a week due to scheduling, I booted up The Devil Made Me Do It on HBO Max. Within the first 10 minutes, you're witnessing an exorcism that is fairly intense and graphic - as they tend to be - so it's effective at putting its hooks into you. 

By the time it all ends, The Conjuring "3" feels like a detour or side street from the main course films, even if the quality is still "good" as opposed to the "great" from the original 2 films. It's a serviceable follow up that gives us more time in this universe (and likely some potential for other spin-offs) but ends up feeling a little generic on the way there. 

Not lacking at all is how great Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga continue to be in the roles of Ed and Lorraine Warren, respectively. They continue to be one of the best decisions this "trilogy"/series ever made and both of them are talented enough to elevate whatever material they're given. Here, there's quite a lot of focus on them and their relationship and neither one falls short; they're both as strong as the other. They have good chemistry as a husband-and-wife team who solves complex evil issues, able to convey expertise in the field but also the horror and fear required in a film like this. Outside of their performances, everyone else does fine, but as most of the Conjuring films tend to be, this is their film, which is also a main reason the spin-offs suffer as a result.

Wilson and Farmiga continue to be one
of the best parts of this series

These new Nectar mattress
commercials are getting intense...

We're given an interesting story, even if it does feel like it takes a detour for ~ 30 minutes part way through. The aforementioned exorcism passes the demon to another individual who commits a crime. Ed and Lorraine Warren set out to prove he's "innocent by way of demonic possession" for the first time ever in the court of law, a very tall order. For a moment, I kind of wondered if this would turn into a court drama with elements of horror (which, to be honest, sounds like a compelling film) but it ends up going through many of the same paces most horror films do: searching for clues, finding a critical one, and a showdown with the "big bad". 

This formula is present in the other Conjuring films, yes, but those also have the direction and pacing of James Wan, who is a top-tier horror director. Here we have relative newbie Michael Chaves, responsible for The Curse of La Llorona which...wasn't great according to other critics and audience score (I skipped it)...who's given the keys to the franchise. It's a confusing decision and while I'm sure Wan was busy with other projects, one wonders what the rush was to get a third Conjuring film out there with the lack of Wan behind the camera. Luckily, Chaves does better than his previous film, likely because of some coaching, a good story, and two big stars, but it still makes me wonder if he's the reason they dropped "3" from the title. 

Even with the lack of Wan, Devil Made Me Do It is still scary, through I never found myself jumping or as terrified as much as the first two films. Part of that likely comes from watching it at home, but there's also just somewhat less to be scared about this time around with the main villain not being revealed until near the end. There are still some horrific scenes like the initial exorcism, a trip to a morgue and the general concept of someone controlling the puppet strings as presented here is enough to make you shudder. 

I'm glad to have a Conjuring film back after taking a hiatus since 2016, even if it is slightly "lesser" Conjuring. There's enough to enjoy to make it an easy recommendation, especially if you're invested in this universe, but it's also weird the keys of the franchise were handed to a director with little experience as opposed to waiting for Wan's schedule to open up. In that regard, much like the title would suggest, The Devil Made Me Do It, feels more like a side-chapter to the main story arc, even if most of the usual pieces are present. 

CONS

• Story starts out interesting, but then follows a generic path
• Scary yes, but not as much so as its predecessors. The main villain should have been present sooner
• Pacing issues with a significant detour part way through
• Misses the horror direction of Wan
• Forgettable original score

PROS

• Farmiga and Wilson are a core reason this series works so well. Their Ed and Lorraine Warren are believable in any scenario and they have good chemistry
• Interesting story to start, even if it doesn't go down the path I thought it would
• Disturbing opening
• Definitely has scary/disturbing moments, even if lesser than predecessors

Rath's Review Score | 7/10