REVIEW – The fourth and final chapter of The Conjuring saga, The Conjuring: Last Rites, brings the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren to a close. While the franchise has branched out with spin-offs like Annabelle and The Nun, the core Conjuring films have always been the backbone of this cinematic universe. Now the curtain falls. The question is: did we get a finale worthy of the legacy, or just a drawn-out, underpowered send-off?

It’s hard to believe twelve years have passed since the first Conjuring hit theaters. In that time, the series has had dizzying highs and disappointing detours, with uneven quality throughout. The stakes for the finale were huge: Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s beloved duo had to be given a proper farewell, and audiences were expecting a conclusion that lived up to the name. The previous entry, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), toyed with the fascinating idea of demonic possession being used as a legal defense. On paper, it was daring; in execution, it was limp. James Wan stepped away, Michael Chaves stepped in, and the result showed the franchise losing steam. So when Chaves was announced again for the final film, the reception was less anticipation than raised eyebrows—mine included.

Suburban Barbecue Meets Haunted Mirror

The story unfolds in 1986, five years after the events of Devil Made Me Do It. The Warrens are living in quiet retreat: Ed is still recovering from his heart attack, Lorraine is focused on keeping the family grounded. Their daughter Judy is now a teenager with a boyfriend, and life looks like an ’80s postcard of suburban peace. Naturally, that tranquility doesn’t last. A family in Pennsylvania stumbles onto a cursed mirror tied not only to Judy’s past but also to Ed and Lorraine’s own earlier encounters.

The film opens with a flashback: a younger Ed and Lorraine confront that same sinister mirror before Judy’s birth. Decades later, the Smurl family inherits the very same relic, drawing the Warrens back into a supernatural storm. On paper, this dual storyline could have offered a rich family angle to elevate the finale. Instead, the structure and pacing quickly bury the potential.

A Painfully Slow Build with Faint-Hearted Horror

The film’s most glaring flaw is its length and rhythm. Running over two hours, the first act drags mercilessly: barbecues, neighborly small talk, and Ed’s proud tour of his relic-filled den eat up precious time. These moments may humanize the Warrens, but horror fans didn’t buy tickets to watch suburban bliss. By the time real supernatural threats arrive, much of the audience’s patience has evaporated.

The Smurl subplot treads the most predictable ground imaginable. The father scoffs at paranormal talk—until possession comes knocking at his own door. The scare tactics are equally familiar: figures in the corner, blurred faces in the background, and the obligatory jump scare punctuated by sudden silence. These tricks once worked wonders in the early Conjuring films, but here they feel like reheated leftovers. The combination of a sluggish setup and watered-down frights is more exhausting than terrifying.

Chaves clearly wanted to lean on the “slow burn” formula, but the balance is badly off. The parallel arcs—the Warrens’ quiet life and the Smurls’ haunting—run too long on separate tracks before colliding abruptly. The third act finally shifts gears into something more energetic and visually charged, yet still comes off rough around the edges.

Performances Carry, Nostalgia Helps

If anything keeps this film from sinking outright, it’s Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. From the very first Conjuring, they’ve been the emotional core of the franchise, and here they deliver once again. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, their bond believable, and their farewell heartfelt. This may well be their finest turn as the Warrens—a closing note full of sincerity.

The production design also deserves praise. The film nails its ’80s aesthetic with meticulous detail: costumes, sets, and atmosphere evoke a wave of neon-tinged nostalgia. Fans of Stranger Things will feel right at home, while several moments in the climax channel Poltergeist with almost shameless homage. It’s less about originality and more about evoking a mood—and it works. Most importantly, the finale resists the temptation to tack on a cheap final jump scare or tease another sequel. The Warrens’ story ends, full stop. They retire, they find peace, and the franchise bows out with them. It’s the right choice.

Fear and Farewell, Hand in Hand

The Conjuring: Last Rites doesn’t reinvent horror, but it closes the book with enough dignity to satisfy long-time fans. The pacing is sluggish, the scares undercooked, and it never recaptures the electric terror of the first two films. Yet strong performances and a carefully crafted retro atmosphere keep it from collapsing entirely. The Warrens remain the franchise’s beating heart, and in this final outing, they carry it to the end. As for whether it’s worth the price of a theater ticket—probably not. Streaming is where this film will find its true home.

-theGeek-