Like the first movie, this one opens with an introduction to the main characters; Ed and Lorraine, as well as setting up the tones of the film. Ed and Lorraine are just as likable here as they were in the first film, and while their relationship hasn't really changed or developed since the first film, their story in this film is much more in depth, without spoiling anything here, this film reveals what Lorraine saw in her vision in the first film, and deals with a personal battle involving Lorraine that serves as a surprisingly emotional emotional punch that was mostly lacking in the first film. Ed and Lorraine still exhibit the compassion they displayed before, Ed now showing a more paternal side, which really adds to his likability, while the personal battle with Lorraine serves as her development. Something that makes this film at least more interesting than the first one, besides Ed and Lorraine, is the side characters, which, if only for Janet, put the Perrons from the first film in the dark. The family in this film is in a much darker place than the Perrons, now fatherless and in financial trouble, their woes give not just the ghost a chance to get into their situation, and Janet is a very good character, someone's who's lost all of her friends to something no one else believes in. The film frequently throws evidence at the audience to suggest that the whole thing is a hoax, and while whether or not it’s a hoax becomes reasonably obvious, it's an interesting element that wasn't in the first film. But something that makes this film better than the first one is its climax and ending. While things really starting going bump in the climax of the first film, this one also ramps up the emotion, as Lorraine's battle reaches a head. The final confrontation with the demon is more intense, and comes to a more emotionally satisfying resolution, again, without spoilers, this film becomes pretty damn intense in the final act, and the demons aren't the only reasons. The film's ending also seems less rushed than the first one, things wind-down much more reasonably, and with a satisfying sense of finality to the story. the other non issue I had with the first one was its lack of originality, and while The Conjuring 2 has largely the same problem, what makes it a non issue is the quality of the story, while it does nothing new, it does what it does so well that you don't care, and the heightened emotional weight of this film doesn't detract from the film's primary purpose, to scare you.
I saw this film in a cinema with 2 of my friends, and, as cruel as it sounds, watching one of them react to this film was pretty funny, he hid behind the popcorn for large portions of the films creepier moments, and when I took the box off him, he hid behind his hands. I'll be honest, this film is scary, in fact I'd say it's even scarier than the first one, Wan deploys the same tricks he used brilliantly in the first one, with the great cinematography, the long shots running through the house, and very effective use of light and dark, something that has much more prevalence here than the first one. Yes this film has jumpscares, but they're not cheap, again, the jumpscares don't just come out of nowhere, they serve more as a release for the masterfully built tension than simply a reflex reaction. And this film has some damn tense moments, moments when the anxiety and unease reaches fever pitch in a way that arguably surpasses the first film. But just like the first Conjuring, this film has an issue, and it's not a problem with the film itself, but with its marketing, which ruins a few of the film’s scares. Sure the film has some tricks up its sleeve that aren't in the trailers, but there are too many times when a person is in a room, and you know what's going to happen because you saw it in the trailer. It's odd that my only other issue with the film is something that isn't in the trailers at all, it's an entity that I won't go into detail on, but it felt strangely out of place, and of all the effects this film has, it is the weakest one. But all in all, while I liked The Conjuring, I loved The Conjuring 2, this film steps up the scares, steps up the mood, and deals with the Warrens in a much more personal way that really adds to their characters and to the film as a whole. The personal battle with Lorraine is just as gripping as the poltergeist, and while I'd say this film is more entertaining than it is scary, it still had me on edge a fair few times, and I'll admit that this film scared me, the feeling of dread was fantastically done, and when things really started going bump, this film proves itself to be more emotional, intense, and ultimately satisfying than the first one. I think this film is better than the first one, and I want to watch it again, The Conjuring 2 is absolutely a must watch.
But there is one thing I did hate about my experience watching this very good film, and it's not the film's fault. It seems though that these kinds of films have a way of attracting the worst kind of cinema goer. I talk during films in cinemas, but when I do, I try to be considerate to others, I keep my voice down, and I don't say really dumb stupid shit, I save that for my blog. But these kids, my god, for some reason, they sat at the front of the cinema, and they wouldn't stop talking, literally, it was constant, and it wasn't even talking sometimes, they were banging on the walls and shouting. I know for sure that we weren't the only people in there that were getting incredibly pissed off with these inconsiderate little fuckers, as numerous times I heard people shout at them to shut up, and they didn't, I'm actually more annoyed that they weren't thrown out, because I did see security approach them at one point, and instead of shutting the fuck up, they kept banging on the walls and telling each other really childish jokes, oh the death stare they received from everyone else in there when the film ended, they deserved to be bitch slapped, the Cinema is a place for people to enjoy a film, to sit in a room and get lost in a film, and few things piss me off more than people who don't care about that, who are so pathetically inconsiderate when everyone else is there to enjoy the film. To those people I say, I hope you're even louder and more annoying next time, so maybe security will actually do their job and you can get taken down a peg. Rant over.
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