About ten years ago I bought the very cheap DVD in the sales, "Tomb Raider 2" - The review/blurb on the cover had only one magazine quote; "Better Than The First One".
...and that's where we are with The Conjuring 2. It's better than the first one. If we remember The Conjuring, it was one of those horror films in the vein of the Hollywood blockbusters of the time, Insidious etc. It fell flat and was a bit poo and spawned the spin-off "Annabelle", which was also poo.
What it did have was a basis in "reality" with the introduction of Ed and Lorraine Warren - the real life Scooby Gang who's most famous "case" was perhaps The Amityville haunting.
The Conjuring 2 focuses on British soil with the case of the Enfield Poltergeist, a real life case in the 70s which had some great photos and footage come from it and a lot of speculation surrounding it. Eventually dismissed as a hoax TC2 makes light of this and of course puts it's own spooky spin on it.
The previous home owner seems to be taking control of one of the children, we have things being thrown about, children flying, possessed voices and of course apparitions.
We've got our usual jump-scares (one did make me jump like a small child) and much like the best horror movies of the day we've got a bunch of news stories such as a man dying then vanishing after watching TC2 and a woman getting possesed in the cinema.
Back in reality however what we've got it quite a solid spooky film that while it works stood alone also expands on The Warrens, should you wish to get a deeper meaning from it. It dares to break away from our standard "Horror-Wood" mold (no Lin Shaye!) and could see a turning point for semi-decent big budget horror.
8/10 Masks
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