The Conjuring

2013, 15, Directed by James Wan

Starring: Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson 
 

James Wan has most certainly made his mark through deliverance of well-honed, if a little preposterous, yet damn effective horrors. Look past the six sequels, and Saw (2004) remains a top-rate twist-ridden gem; the opening 45 minutes of 2010’s Insidious, many would argue, is a masterwork of the tensest proportions. What better way to introduce his latest attempt to terrify than The Conjuring - an out-and-out spook fest, that isn’t without its gimmicks, but refreshingly toes the ghost story line and remains en route right up until its closing shot: the innocent family; the old-fashioned new house; the creepy basement; the music box. All present and correct, and completely outdone by the daddy of ‘em all; the creepy doll - it’s the Perron’s (headed by Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston, trailed by their five dainty daughters and dog) who are being terrorised by unseen haunts pretty much from the get-go. Enter left Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), supernatural investigators who agree to check out the place when approached by a haggard Mrs. Perron after attending one of their lectures. Perhaps racking up the tension somewhat is the shared knowledge that The Warren’s are real-life investigators – famously embroiled in the notorious horror of Amityville - who have only very recently agreed to share their experiences (so we're told.)

 In a chiller featuring all the expected hi-jinks, it’s somewhat refreshing to be led through the narrative by characters that feel genuinely real, with Taylor’s Carolyn Perron a real beacon of fear (it doesn’t take a lot for her to suspect something’s not quite right – finally, a horror victim with brains), not to mention a particularly bad investigation experienced in the past by The Warrens that threatens to endanger the present.

 A fantastically effective opening and final moment - unnervingly isolated from the remainder of the film - bookend something largely run-of-the-mill, but not without its standout moments to elevate it above standard fare; just dare someone to clap in your vicinity afterwards. It's disappointing then that when The Conjuring reaches its final third, chills dissipate in place of jumps, dampening the patchwork crafted before it. With September's release of Insidious: Part 2 to come before James Wan parts ways with the horror genre for the time being in favour of Fast & Furious escapades, this is a fine way to leave his salivating audience wanting more.

Especially now there's a good chance he'll be remembered as the guy who caused grown men to dispose of any dolls lying around the house.

 3/5

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Dark Skies

15, 2013, Directed by Scott Stewart 
Starring: Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, Dakota Goyo, JK Simmons

Many may initially scoff at this little-hyped horror upon discovering it’s crafted from the same production house as Paranormal Activity, Insidious and Sinister – all of which have had or are due sequels at one time or another.  However, this scare-attempt - which follows the Barret family as they begin to experience disturbing encounters with a malevolent force - is more successful than you would expect. Racking up the suspense-laden tension, director Scott Stewart deals adeptly with what could potentially be run-of-the-mill fodder; decent performances from the Barret family, led by Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton’s parents, lead to a misplaced cameo from JK Simmons as an extra-terrestrial specialist. Unsettling jumps during memorable scenes, with genuinely spine-tingling portrayals of a factor that has been interpreted in films countless times before (if the picture doesn't give the game away, I refuse to here,) all assist in elevating Dark Skies to being one of those numerous entries into the horror genre you should actually check out.

3/5

  

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Mama

15, 2013, Directed by Andres Muschietti 
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Daniel Kash  

With a range of impressive treats under his belt, Guillermo Del Toro is a more-than-welcome name attached to the production of films. Director of Pan's Labyrinth and the two Hellboy films, as well as producer of chiller The Orphanage, his presence brings with him a visual influence that the Spanish movie man has come to be associated with.

Mama (produced by Del Toro, directed by Andres Muschietti) bears this visual element, an out-and-out chiller and purveyor of the gothic. The film stars actress of the moment Jessica Chastain as Annabel, a black-bobbed rock chick who falls into looking after her boyfriend's nieces following their resurgence after a 5-year disappearance. An unexpectedly early turn of events counts Nikolas Coster-Waldau (of Game of Thrones fame) out of the house action, leaving Annabel to tend for the girls. Naturally, things start making all sorts of noises in the night, and it becomes clear that the children may have not been alone during their absence...and may have been followed back by something that is growing jealous of Annabel.

An opening that upholds promise, we are presented with a scene of context that refuses to hold its cards close to its chest; refreshing in the horror genre. Similarly, the first half - stuffed with enough jumps and chills to convince you Mama may be the real deal - speeds along at full pelt. It's a crying shame that this is where the film peaks. What follows is an Insidious-esque descent into disappointment, sprinkled with only a few genuine scares. Memorable scenes (layered with a hint of comedy that grounds the film with an improbable sense of realism) fail to live up to the first act's set-up, although Chastain does her best in her first horror leading lady turn (no surprise,) even if you feel aware that this film is lower down the food chain of recent film appearances. 

The background story is what saves this from becoming an inescapable plummet. Yet, with an emotive climax that relies far too heavily on CGI to extract the intended reaction is what ironically stunts any emotion you may be feeling. What it builds to is the sense that what you are watching is a squandered opportunity.

Mama, for all of its promise, is not the daddy.

2.5/5

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Insidious

15, 2011, Directed by James Wan
Starring: Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Barbara Hershey, Ty Simpkins

From the director of mammoth horror franchise Saw and producer of on-its-way mammoth horror franchise Paranormal Activity, you would be forgiven for watching Insidious from behind your hands with a large amount of trepidation. The plot follows stereotypical hokum horror pokum, merging slamming doors with things that go bump in the night, but throws the haunted house idea to the side by focusing on… a haunted son. When Dalton slips into a comatose state, it becomes clear that some angry spirits are hanging around in the dead of night. For the first 45 minutes, Insidious provides not only mandatory jolts, but genuine scares; spooky set-pieces with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it imagery that will have viewers reaching for the rewind and pause buttons. Additionally, at times the scares are so well-constructed you have an overwhelming sense you could be watching the horror film of the decade. It’s a crying shame then that what the film descends into is something that the original Saw and Paranormal Activity both scored miles above. Predictable, if contrived plot twists harmed by clichéd performances from the unfortunate cast (who do all they can - especially Barbara Hershey in Black Swan mode for her second spooky supporting role of the year). Some fear-inducing creations aside, it is the unseen potential of the project, not to mention the gimmicky contrived climax, that heightens the disappointment. However, rest assured – you will never look at Darth Maul in the same way again.

2/5



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