The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)

​“The Conjuring: Last Rites” stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mia Tomlinson, and Ben Hardy.  Released on September 5, 2025, the film has the Warrens confronting their last paranormal case.

The film is directed by Michael Chaves, who also directed “The Curse of La Llorona”, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It”, and “The Nun II”.  It is the ninth installment in The Conjuring Universe.  Ed and Lorraine Warren have delved into countless cases that have not only defined their careers but also brought supernatural legends into the spotlight.  While many skeptical investigators dismiss their paranormal exploits as loads of baloney, the Warrens possessed a historic reputation that instills fear about what lurks in the shadows.  Their investigations have inspired various forms of media, including the “Amityville Horror” franchise and the recently released “Conjuring” universe.  However, one particularly harrowing case was considered so terrifying that it led the Warrens into retirement—at least, that’s what the film’s marketing suggests.  

This latest chapter in The Conjuring Universe focuses on yet another notorious paranormal investigation undertaken by the Warrens, which faced disbelief from many, in contrast to those who experienced it firsthand.  This case is known as the “Smurl haunting”, which spanned from 1974 to 1989, during which the Smurl family asserted that their home was haunted by a demon.  These demons certainly had their hands full in wrecking people’s lives during that decade, especially with the infamous “devil made me do it” murder case and the Smurl haunting.  The Smurl haunting was previously examined in a 1986 paperback titled “The Haunted” and a made-for-television movie in 1991, but this new interpretation seeks to elevate its fright factor, presenting what appears to be the thrilling conclusion of the Warrens’ cinematic saga.  Is this latest paranormal case worth investigating on the big screen, or should we seek out other stories to haunt us?  Let’s find out.    

The story once again centers on Ed (Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Farmiga), the paranormal investigators delving into uncanny yet terrifying cases involving the supernatural.  As they navigate the changes in their lives during retirement, including their daughter Judy (Tomlinson) and her upcoming wedding, the Warrens are summoned yet again to tackle a new case.  They receive word that the Smurl family’s double-block house in Pennsylvania is plagued by an unusual presence that’s been making their lives a living hell.  Through their investigation, the Warrens and the Smurls uncover that the house is inhabited by a demon the Warrens had encountered in the past.  Amidst the demon’s formidable presence and the Warrens’ own personal struggles, the paranormal pair find themselves in a high-stakes confrontation in what could be their final investigation.

The “Conjuring” films are simply some of the examples of how to blend compelling storytelling and characters with entertaining horror aspects and technical execution.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first two entries, thanks to James Wan’s direction and their surprisingly eerie thrills, complemented by strong performances from Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.  However, after establishing a cinematic universe with sequels and spin-offs, the initial novelty wound up wearing itself thin by resorting to the mediocrity of its horror tropes, such as cheap jump scares.  A clear example of this was the subpar “Curse of La Llorona”, which, despite not being officially part of the franchise, exists within the same universe as “The Conjuring”.  Man, that still drives me up the wall with how they describe that.  Nonetheless, I must admit that certain films, particularly “Annabelle: Creation”, had their enjoyable moments.  At the end of the day, the main “Conjuring” installments involving the Warrens still stand among the rest as creepy-as-hell roller coasters that balance bump-in-the-night chills with convincing character arcs.

Of course, it adds a bittersweet layer knowing that we may face one last terrifying investigation with the Warrens, especially with the tagline indicating that this is “the case that ended it all”.  If “Last Rites” is indeed the final chapter in the franchise, it has ample opportunity to conclude the universe on a high note, especially considering the mixed reactions to “The Devil Made Me Do It”.  The film must not only revive the elements that worked well in the first two installments but also present stakes worthy of a heartfelt farewell for the Warren family.  Given the tone of the series, this task should be easy to accomplish, particularly since the previous “Conjuring” films were more engaging and emotionally resonant than many other mediocre horror offerings.  Fortunately, “Last Rites” managed to be fitting enough to properly conclude Ed and Lorraine’s cinematic journey, albeit not without some flaws that condemn its potential to match the similar levels of its predecessors.

The previous installment, “The Devil Made Me Do It”, moved away from the traditional haunted house narrative and ventured into the realm of a murder investigation disguised as a supernatural horror film.  While this shift offered a fresh perspective to the main “Conjuring” installments, its execution didn’t quite hit all the spiritual notes to capture the terrifyingly fun frights and energy characteristic of James Wan’s installments.  “Last Rites” sought to atone for that sin by returning to the familiar narrative blueprint established in the first two installments, focusing on the Warrens’ investigation of the Smurl haunting.  Although Michael Chaves returned to direct it instead of Wan, he attempted to emulate the haunting atmosphere of those installments.  Those who condemn the third film’s narrative departure would feel pretty satisfied with its return to basics, reviving the spine-chilling “haunted house” elements that drove “The Conjuring” and its sequel to success.  However, it also resulted in the film playing most of the similar hits from those predecessors, rendering some of its eerie tricks and storytelling less impactful than before.  Nonetheless, it delivered some promising moments that maintained its entertaining presence.

One such moment is the heart of the “Conjuring” films: the Warrens.  The predecessors may be considered standard supernatural horror fare, but their formulas were imbued with emotional depth through the depiction of the paranormal-investigating couple.  Although the real-life Warrens were infamous for their controversial findings, the installments effectively portray them as a devoted couple striving to protect one another amidst their personal challenges, underscoring the theme of love conquering fear, particularly familial love.  This element persists in “Last Rites”, as Ed and Lorraine grapple with their daughter Judy’s struggles with her “hallucinations”, which force her to face the literal demon of her parents’ past.  Through Judy’s perspective, the movie not only highlights the significance of familial love in the face of despair but also underscores the bravery stemming from confronting one’s personal demons head-on.  “Last Rites” further demonstrated that the franchise’s emotional core remains pure enough to compel the wickedness of its genre tropes, especially with its heartwarming Warren montage in the first act.  However, it somehow struggled to maintain this emotional depth throughout, affecting the narrative stakes and the impact of the scares, and ultimately, failing to deliver a deeply moving conclusion to the characters’ journey.

Structurally, “Last Rites” mirrored the approach of the first two “Conjuring” films by balancing focus between the Warrens and the family they are aiding.  In this case, the film involves the Smurls finding themselves tormented by a demonic presence, while the Warrens navigate a “Meet the Parents” scenario involving Judy’s boyfriend, Tony Spera (played by Ben Hardy).  While the Warrens remain the franchise’s main attraction, the supporting families typically provide enough depth and heart to engage audiences until their paths converge with the Warrens.  Unfortunately, the Smurls didn’t exactly possess the compelling dynamic needed to make them as enjoyable as the Warrens.  The supporting cast playing the Smurls, including Rebecca Calder (Janet) and Kila Lord Cassidy (Heather), delivered strong performances, but the screenplay fell short in fully capitalizing on that family dynamic, as it did for the Warrens.  Coupled with its familiar narrative beats, predictable scares, and underwhelming antagonist, the film’s impact continued to be diminished compared to its predecessors.  It also happened to be around the same length as “The Conjuring 2”, clocking in at two hours and fifteen minutes.  While the second film’s length was tolerable, thanks to James Wan’s direction and story, “Last Rites” may feel like it’s taking audiences ages to have the Warrens arrive at the Smurl house.  The pacing is fine for the Warrens’ side-plot, but those less enamored with the genre may find this latest case to be a bit too bloated to endure.

Michael Chaves has been a part of the “Conjuring Universe” since “The Curse of La Llorona” in 2019, which initially showed limited promise for his directorial vision.  However, he started to demonstrate growth with “The Devil Made Me Do It” and “The Nun II”, showing improvement in handling horror tropes and atmospheric dread, but not by much.  His ability to make “The Nun II” an improvement over its lackluster predecessor really said a lot about Chaves’ evolving vision.  Given these accomplishments, it’s understandable why he returned to direct “Last Rites”.  However, I wish James Wan would return as director to conclude the journey he began with the Warrens.  Instead, he contributed as a story consultant with David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, as he had previously done with “The Devil Made Me Do It”.  While Chaves may lack Wan’s distinctive flair for crafting monumental moments, he mostly succeeded in conveying a sense of dread and terror through the film’s richly dark atmosphere, religious themes, and 1980s aesthetics.  It had a couple of jump scares that were more effective than others, despite knowing what’s coming, but the film’s suspense evoked a terrifying nightmare that’s also fun enough to witness, akin to a haunted house attraction.  Chaves may not have infused the proper spark in his vision to provide any groundbreaking moments, either frightening or emotional, but he did enough to make the experience a worthy grace instead of an eternal punishment.

As mentioned, the Warrens serve as the heart of the franchise, a factor that has bolstered the recent installments following the first two movies.  This success is mainly due to Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, whose performances breathe life into the real-life couple.  Regardless of how one feels about the recent installments, it’s undeniable that the main leads gave it their all in their charismatic and heartfelt chemistry, humanizing the Warrens amidst their controversies.  “Last Rites” demonstrated that their sparkling chemistry still shines within the film’s darkness, with Wilson and Farmiga once again delivering the heart and soul of the Warrens through their potent performances.  Mia Tomlinson made an impressive feature film debut as Judy, with her character’s expanded role allowing her to showcase her talent beyond her television roles.  Her solid performance is enough to suggest a promising future in her career.  I also thought Ben Hardy did a commendable job with his role as Tony, Judy’s boyfriend, who becomes intertwined with the Warrens’ battle against the demonic entity, even amid the film’s “Meet the Parents” trope.

Overall, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” maintains the eerie essence of the franchise’s earlier films through its heart and atmosphere, but doesn’t atone enough narrative sins to deliver a satisfying and terrifying conclusion.  The film deserves credit for returning to the haunted house storyline reminiscent of the first two “Conjuring” movies, featuring a few touching yet creepy moments that support its entertaining premise.  Unfortunately, it also resulted in the film bringing nothing new to the table aside from the Warrens’ character growth and Judy’s involvement.  It starts off strong with its first act, a talented cast, and Michael Chaves’ direction for its horror elements, but then it struggles to retain that energy throughout its lengthy runtime.  Its screenplay showed promise in its emotional depth and narrative stakes, only to play it safe with its less-than-impactful scares, formulaic structure, and antagonist.  It had enough enjoyable moments to make this final rite watchable for the franchise’s fans, but in terms of quality, it might be best to consider this case the last time we unite with the Warrens.  That was my sentiment until I learned they are working on a second phase of films within the Conjuring Universe.  I guess you can say the franchise always finds a way to come back, even after we assume it's gone for good.

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