Review 'THE CONJURING: LAST RITES': The Drama is Okay, the Horror...

Kapanlagi.com - THE CONJURING: LAST RITES is the latest film in the famous horror franchise The Conjuring Universe directed by Michael Chaves. This film continues the story of the famous demonologist couple, Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), who this time face the most dangerous supernatural case of their careers.

As the conclusion of the main trilogy of The Conjuring, this film is expected to answer various mysteries that have haunted their journey against dark forces.

As the final part of the main story, this film is said to be more emotional than its predecessors. Not only does it feature thrilling jumpscares, but The Conjuring: Last Rites also showcases the struggles of the Warren couple in maintaining love, faith, and courage in the face of darkness.

Based on observations from the KapanLagi.com editorial team, the premiere screening of this film received high enthusiasm from loyal fans. The editorial team, who watched at one of the cinemas in Malang, found that the premiere screening held on a weekday did not dampen the enthusiasm of the audience. This was proven by the full capacity of the cinema during that moment.

So, does this film, which has just been crowned the highest-grossing imported film in Indonesia in 2025 with 3 million viewers in 12 days (as of September 15, 2025), truly deliver what the audience expects?

KLovers, let’s discuss this in the following review. For those of you who don’t want to get many spoilers, you can stop reading here.

1. Horror with a Family Drama Flavor

For fans who have followed since the first film in 2013, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES falls a bit short of their expectations. Although overall the film manages to conclude the trilogy well, it feels less 'impactful' due to a plot that resembles previous films.

However, the dramatic elements in this film are strong due to the involvement of Judy Warren (Mia Tomlinson) and her boyfriend, Tony Spera (Ben Hardy). Their presence makes this third film feel more like a family drama.

2. Repetitive Scenes Make It Boring

As mentioned in the previous point, the repetitive element occurs not only between the third film and the earlier films but also happens several times in various scenes of this film. Director Michael Chaves repeatedly presents two families (the Warren family & the Smurl family) with an unbalanced portion. The appearance of creepy dolls, ghosts with abstract faces, and dark corridors ends up boring the viewers.

3. Reliance on Jump Scares

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES relies more on jump scares that feel 'rough' rather than on atmosphere building to achieve a 'climax'. Fortunately, the jump scares presented are well-timed and do not detract from the essence of the story. Some film critics say that horror relying on jump scares is outdated. However, some moviegoers actually look forward to those moments as the main thrill in watching horror films.

4. Ed & Lorraine Who Are Old, But Still Look Perfect

One thing that deserves appreciation is that Ed & Lorraine portrayed in this film look very 'old' and are very suitable for their desire to retire.

Ed & Lorraine appear tired of facing case after case, actually determined to retire before handling the Smurl family case. However, pressure from various parties, including their daughter, Judy, makes that plan fall apart.

The nearly perfect acting of the two main actors helps to manage the audience's expectations that have already been thrown off by the presented plot.

5. Duration Too Long?

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES has a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes. In this quite long duration, director Michael Chaves seems to stretch time in several scenes. It is suspected that the main goal of the director is to build emotions and a complete story for several key scenes.

However, it feels quite exhausting. Some scenes, such as when Lorraine has a terrible premonition about Judy, the arrival of a person from the church asking for help from Ed & Lorraine, and Ed & Lorraine teaching at a nearly empty college classroom, are considered scenes that are too long.

6. The Appearance of the Assisted Family at the End of the Film

The impression of the drama film becomes more pronounced with the presence of the Perron family and the Hodgson family as Ed & Lorraine marry their daughter in the Church. As is known, the Perron family is haunted by the spirit of a witch named Bathsheba Sherman. Ed & Lorraine help this family to expel the evil spirit. Meanwhile, the Hodgson family, who are haunted by Valak, also seek Ed & Lorraine's help to perform an exorcism in their home.

7. Rating From KapanLagi.com

From all the points outlined above, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES received a rating of 8.5/10. This film can still be enjoyed even if viewers come without having watched the previous films. Although it is considered not meeting expectations in terms of plot and the ghost characters that appear, this film remains a choice for filling time after work or on weekends if it is still showing in KLovers' favorite cinema!

Also check out other news at Liputan6.com

(kpl/ums)