Title: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Michael Chaves
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ruairi O’Connor
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins

What It Is: In this third installment of the Conjuring series we are once again following Ed (Wilson) and Lorraine (Farmiga) Warren. They’re sent to rural Connecticut to investigate a case in which Arne Johnson (O’Connor) claims that the murder of his landlord was caused by the devil making him do it. Now the Warrens are there to investigate whether or not the paranormal has a say in this murder or if Johnson is strictly lying for a less harsh sentence.

What We Think: At a certain point the film loses what makes The Conjuring film so special. This is a rather toothless version of what we got before. I can commend an IP for wanting to try something new. Here in lies the problem. Making this into a court room drama sucks away the terror and suspense that built the first two into the premiere horror franchise of the last decade. Wilson and Farmiga bring together the chemistry they had in the first two films and that’s perhaps the shining beacon for this downturn of the trilogy.

Our Grade: D+, HBO MAX has not had a good year when it comes to their original films. Thus far, outside of In the Heights this deal with HBO MAX has not wrought good films. I’m hopeful that with the incoming flux of films to the streaming service that the quality will follow. Though I’m not going to hold my breath. I mean if you like horror films. I don’t recommend this in any way shape or form. It is for all intents and purposes…well just plain not very good and a poc mark on a series that didn’t need another poc mark, given how bad the spin-offs are.