The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs
The third time sadly isn't the charm.
The third mainline entry into the Conjuring franchise is finally here, arriving some five years after The Conjuring 2 served up one of the most evocative and ambitious horror sequels of the entire decade.
Sadly the preposterously-monikered The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It doesn't nail the three-peat, as this decidedly more uneven follow-up feels too often like it's just regurgitating what worked before, albeit without the filmmaking verve of James Wan (who helmed the first two films).
It'd be hard to characterise this film as bad, but it's certainly a step down from its predecessors, toeing a far more familiar genre line while lacking the artistry that made the previous films stand out.
Wan's shrewd balance between gonzo scares and meaningful character work is largely lost here, in favour of a more fleeting rollercoaster ride of so-so set-pieces which rarely service the central characters.
Horror fans desperate for something to watch on the big screen could do far worse, but ultimately The Devil Made Me Do It feels like yet another underwhelming, listless entry to the ever-expanding Conjuring Universe...