The Conjuring 2 Review: 6 Ups And 2 Downs

The Ups:

6. The Warrens Are Great Franchise Stars

Like The Conjuring before it, The Conjuring 2 has a good grasp of the distinction between story and plot - the main narrative of the film is the Enfield Haunting, but the emotive, character-based side of the film is firmly focused on the Warrens. It's a very smart choice: keeping things focused on a loving couple with a strong history and clear morals, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga no less, elevates what could have been a little shlocky.

Obviously the real-life ghostbusters were at-best delusional, but the film doesn't make any allusions it's a true historical account. There's a scene early on with the pair attacked on a talk show by a sceptic that gives rational audience members the armour they need, but after that you're just expected to take this as fantasy (and even if you do, for some reason, believe in things that go bump in the night, this is fictitious - the Warrens' part in the Enfield incident was very different).

The strong characterisation and dealing with reality is make the couple the core of the film and The Conjuring as a wider series - there's no need for recurring villains or even replicated scenario - which makes this one horror franchise that may have real legs (now just watch The Conjuring 3 end up being a total pile).