The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (Movie Review)

 ***This review will contain spoilers****

Summary:

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one of the most sensational cases of their careers after a cop stumbles upon a dazed and bloodied young man walking down the road. Accused of murder, the suspect claims demonic possession as his defense, forcing the Warrens into a supernatural inquiry unlike anything they've ever seen before. 

Opening scene:

Ed and Lorraine are helping a little boy named David with an exorcism. The demon leaves David alone, unfortunately, Arne invites the demon into him. As if the night couldn't get any crazier, Ed ends up having a major heart attack that was caused by the demon possessing the little boy's body. 

This was such an intense and well done movie. I feel that's a theme with reviewing the Conjuring movies. I always say they were well done and executed perfectly. But in all honesty, I loved every single one of them including this one. In this movie, we're expanding and now diving into witchcraft and satanism. It's a topic that was briefly spoken upon but in this movie it goes into dept on how a satanist can summon demons and curse people to cause mischief and pain. 

One thing I wish they would've shown was Arne's lawyer having dinner at the Warren's and meeting Annabelle. She seemed so shaken up I would've love to seen what happened. And it would have been a nice little add on to the movie. 

Ed having a major heart attack put into perspective how fragile human life can be and fighting against the forces of evil can take a toll on the body. It wasn't said outright but it was implied that the demon caused Ed to have a heart attack which is terrifying to think about. 

It's interesting where now in the Conjuring Universe the 'real' world and the world of the supernatural is meeting and now Ed and Lorraine have to find physical evidence of the occult and supernatural. Despite, how many movies and tv shows are made every year centered around the supernatural people are still skeptics and do not believe until they themselves have their own experiences. So in a court of law despite swearing on the bible and on God to tell the truth, there needs to be tangible evidence and not simply saying you were possessed. It's strange how many people are quick to say they believe in God but don't believe in the devil. You can't have one and not the other. Otherwise, there would be an imbalance. 

Interestingly, the original story didn't include a occultist but instead David the little boy was said to be possessed by 43 demons. To this day half of the family says David was possessed and the other half says that he was just mentally ill. Either way, this is a crazy, one in a lifetime story. Personally, the boy being possessed by 43 demons sounds a lot more scary and dangerous than the occultist. But I can understand the writers and director not making the story too gimmicky and over the top. So many movies and tv shows have come out about victims being possessed. I can appreciate them going the other way and focusing on a different aspect of possession and the occult. 

What really resonated was the love that Ed and Lorraine have for one another. The Occultist put a curse on Ed in retaliation for their involvement in Arne's possession. And she tried forcing Ed in killing Lorraine. I typically don't like the endings where evil is defeated by love. But the way they put it together was really well done. Ed was still under the curse when he took a swing in Lorraine's direction and instead hit the occultist's alter and thus breaking her curse. 

Rating:

Not surprisingly, I'm giving this movie 5 stars on 5. Every movie they've put out has been amazing and so has this one. I'm really curious to know where they'll take the Conjuring universe next. And what else they'll expand on. I know they'll definitely make more movies because the conjuring and all associated movies have been a huge cash cow but I hope they won't drop the quality.