The "Conjuring" series of movies has been going for a full decade now, and it's been
a runaway success since pretty much the start.
But what about quality?
Which of the eight movies are blessed, and which ones are demonically bad?
The 2014 "Conjuring" prequel "Annabelle" made a respectable $257 million worldwide, but
reactions to the film were far from kind.
One look at the movie's Rotten Tomatoes scores shows that filmgoers and critics alike weren't
pleased with the possessed doll's antics.
Based on the Annabelle doll first seen in "The Conjuring," this spin-off focuses on
a couple welcoming their first child.
The doll terrorizes these new parents and seems intent on taking their daughter's soul,
but it turns out that it's the mom's soul the demon is after.
What sets "Annabelle" apart from other entries in the Conjuring Universe is just how stale
and uneventful the overall film feels.
Outside of some shots of the doll looking intimidating or being positioned ominously
in a room, there isn't really much to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
"That doll.
We have to get rid of it."
Not only is the film's antagonist a bore, the human characters also lack personality.
Plus, the ending, in which the movie's only Black character sacrifices herself to save
the white protagonist, led to some serious criticism.
The concept of a killer doll isn't exactly new, and with so many better entries into
the genre to choose from, "Annabelle" is completely forgettable.
Also, just to note: Despite the priest from "Annabelle" appearing in "The Curse of La
Llorona," the latter movie's director clarified that it isn't actually part of the "Conjuring"
series, so it isn't on our list.
"The Nun" boasts some haunting, Gothic set design and striking period costumes.
The film might be the most visually interesting entry in the "Conjuring" franchise.
However, some pretty production design isn't enough to make a film function, and it's safe
to say viewers weren't impressed with this entry overall.
It's set in 1952, and features a group of nuns living in a Romanian abbey.
They discover that World War II bombs have reopened a spiritual rift that once was sealed
to keep demons from entering into the world.
The film follows a novitiate who is determined to find the root of the evil emanating from
the monastery and banish a spirit called Valak that has taken the form of an undead nun.
In the end, the movie looks nice, but is packed with one-note characters, lazy dialogue, and
forgettable jump scares, "The Nun" manages to feel completely flat and devoid of creative
substance, despite having some stylistic flair.
"The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren
as they try to save a young man named Arne, who accidentally invited a demon into his
body during an exorcism on his younger brother.
"Whatever happened that day, that was not Arne."
Set in 1981, the third "Conjuring" movie takes the Warrens on a convoluted journey that involves
dangerous totems and a curse rooted in the occult.
In their efforts to help Arne, the Warrens learn that there is much more lurking beneath
the surface of this possession.
They also help make history by supporting Arne in a landmark trial after he kills his landlord.
This element of the story is based on the real-life murder trial of Arne Johnson, in
which the Warrens were involved.
"I think it's about time they accept the existence of the devil."
While "The Devil Made Me Do It" isn't the worst movie in the franchise, it also isn't the best.
It ups the ante, particularly for Lorraine, but it relies too heavily on tired jump scares.
The demon is one of the least impactful in the series as well.
If you thought you'd seen the last of Valak, you were wrong.
"The Nun II" picks up four years after the events of the first "Nun," following Sister
Irene in Italy.
She now leads a simpler life after her last encounter with the demon.
However, that peace is interrupted when she's asked to investigate some unusual deaths taking
place across the continent.
"I think there's something here that's not meant to be."
What follows is a story that gives more insight into the demon that includes missing eyes,
killing the descendants of the saint that took them, and a delivery boy-turned-puppet.
As Sister Irene dives further into history in her attempts to send Valak back to Hell
for good, she also learns more about her own ancestry and the power of a mother's love.
"The Nun II" is a sequel that improves on the mistakes of its predecessor.
Valak is given real motives this time around, rather than just being a scary presence, and
one of the other nuns is given a subplot that's actually culturally relevant.
While the movie is ultimately an improvement over the first, and is better than recent
films in the universe, it's still a middle-of-the-road entry.
In this third "Annabelle" film, Ed and Lorraine Warren come into possession of the cursed
Annabelle doll, the couple safely lock the possessed plaything away in their occult museum.
Protected by a glass case and shielded from the outside world, it looks like all is well.
"It's safer for these things to be in here than out there.
Sometimes it's better to keep the genie in the bottle."
Of course, one slip up is all it takes for Annabelle to cause havoc.
When the Warrens' daughter Judy is left in the care of teenage babysitter Mary Ellen,
the haunted doll seizes on the opportunity.
Shortly after Mary Ellen arrives, her friend Daniela makes an unplanned visit.
Daniela is hoping to reconnect with her deceased father, so she trespasses into the Warrens'
locked artifact room and accidentally releases Annabelle.
A "beacon for other spirits," Annabelle sets free a slew of spooky entities from the couple's
collection of cursed objects, turning the once peaceful Warren home into a demonic house of horrors.
You would think a cast of wacky demons running wild would result in some creative scares,
and there are a few.
But most of the film is just a slow build-up for one jump scare after another.
None of the demons really get enough focus to make them stand out from the more interesting
cast of unholy spirits from previous films.
"The Conjuring 2" is one of the best received entries in the series, but it nonetheless
feels a little like the creative team tried and failed to recapture lightning in a bottle
with this sequel.
In the end, "The Conjuring 2" feels like it was made with the intention of setting up
an expanded universe instead of telling a complete, self-contained story, especially
considering the spin-offs that followed soon afterward.
Aside from the crowded roster of spirits, the primary demon gives its name to Lorraine
in the beginning of the movie, which is the key to defeating it in the end.
It makes the resolution feel not only rushed, but unearned.
Despite these gripes, "The Conjuring 2" is still a worthy successor to the first film,
making use of interesting camera work, slow build-ups, and the sort of creepy imagery
that fans of the franchise have come to expect.
A prequel to the first "Annabelle" film, "Annabelle: Creation" shows the origin of the demonic doll.
The film opens with a couple witnessing the death of their young daughter, Annabelle,
nicknamed "Bee."
The grieving parents are willing to make any bargain just to spend more time with her,
and when a spirit begins making itself known in their house, they think they may have gotten their wish.
But Bee isn't the same upon her return, and they soon realize that they've invited a demon
to reside in their daughter's doll.
"So we locked it away, where it could be surrounded by the word of God."
To repent for their actions, the couple takes in a group of girls from a recently closed orphanage.
Unfortunately for them, Annabelle wants to play.
The cast of child actors does a good job, and there's some decent writing to support
them as well.
There are some genuinely terrifying visuals that help drive home the sadistic nature of
the demon.
There is a unique balance in "Annabelle: Creation" between highlighting the emotional punishment
endured by the people in the house and the physical punishment doled out by the sadistic
spirit, letting the two complement each other and build in anxiety-inducing ways.
"What are you guys?"
"Well we've been called ghost hunters, paranormal researchers"
"But we prefer to be known simply as Ed and Lorraine Warren"
Critics and fans agree: the first entry in the franchise is also the best.
Instead of being thrown into the paranormal with little explanation, the characters are
forced to do research, set up and monitor equipment, and work with local police just
to get enough proof to have an exorcism approved.
As a result of all the added legwork, not only does "The Conjuring" feel more believable
and accessible for audiences, but the frightening payoffs feel earned.
The chief marker of this film's quality is the building of atmosphere.
This is demonstrated particularly well through how reserved and understated some of the scares are.
The musical score is allowed to be soft and to serve as a background to scares, instead
of the blaring, bass-heavy blasts in later movies.
The minimal CGI used throughout the film is also done with precision, demonstrating the
common adage — particularly true in horror — that less is more.