The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)★★★★☆

I don’t think I’ve actually watched any of the original Conjuring films since 2016, so maybe I was just too far from the franchise (and too disappointed by the Nun entries?) to enjoy this one as much as I could have. Also a bit too impatient, despite this one being the shortest of the three (though it’s only a minute shorter than the first).

Okay, here’s the thing. The last 15 minutes or so of this movie are really compelling. Like, Insidious-level compelling. I bumped this up to four stars instead of three JUST for the ending. But I’m going to let the rest of my less-impressed review stand:

Honestly, this film starts out strong. The opening scenes are scary and well-acted. The kids deliver excellent performances, and I’ve always liked Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. But I couldn’t really get into most of this movie for some reason.

I don’t actually have a good explanation for why. Like, maybe I’m the problem today. There are many CREEPY moments in this, and the performances are good, but…I couldn’t connect with the material. Too much religion?

I guess take this review (or lack thereof) with a grain of salt and make your own determination. I’d guess if you watch all three Conjuring films closely together, you might enjoy this just as much as the first two. But I didn’t do that, so…I didn’t.