On Sept. 5, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” premiered as the final movie in the long, and beloved “Conjuring” universe. This last chapter follows the Smurl family, who begin to experience horrifying occurrences after finding a new mirror for their daughter following her confirmation. Over a span of at least 12 years, the family endures unexplained disappearances of tools, black masses, screams when no one is home, and even alleged physical assaults. This leads them to finally reach out to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The film also explores the life of the Warrens’ daughter, Judy, as she deals with her psychic abilities, navigating the complexities of growing up with supernatural abilities.
In the “Conjuring” cinematic universe, most stories center around Ed, a demonologist, and Lorraine, a psychic medium, a married couple set out to help anyone in need. Recognized by the Catholic Church, the Warrens took on thousands of cases on the Church’s behalf. While not every film in the franchise features them, the couple remains at the core of the saga. The series, known for its tension and creative storytelling, holds a strong 86 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.5/10 on IMDb, pure evidence of its popularity among horror critics.
“Last Rites,” however, has received many different reactions. It currently holds a 56 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many viewers criticizing the film for a fast paced and predictable ending.
“I love horror, but it was so predictable, which kind of made it less interesting,” Ariel Suppenbach, a freshman majoring in forensic psychology said.
Others stated that the movie strayed too far from the saga’s core: the hauntings.
“It wasn’t about the horror; it was more about the Warrens and their family,” Connor Stone, a freshman with an undeclared major said, suggesting the movie was filled with more “fluff” than the other movies in the franchise. This shift in focus made the movie feel less terrifying for fans who came for the jump scares and suspense.
Still, not everyone viewed the character-driven approach as a flaw. I appreciated the emotional depth and romantic side, especially in the sense of Ed and Lorraine. I actually really liked the romance that we got to see surrounding Ed and Lorraine, it is so cute. This showed how the film’s vulnerability added a different kind of charm to the scenes.
Another point of debate was the film’s nostalgia, pointing out the number of callbacks to earlier films. For fans, these references may have been satisfying, but for casual viewers, it may have made the film harder to understand.
“It was okay, it was more lore-based than scary,” Stone said.
The “Conjuring” films have been praised for a long time because of their creative jump scares, horrifying tension, and intensive storytelling. But “Last Rites” stands out as a more controversial finishing film, one that leans into emotion and movie history rather than straight horror. It may not be the highest-rated film in the series; it offers a different kind of farewell to the Warrens and the universe they helped create.
Whether you loved the emotion or missed the immense horror, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” cements itself in horror history as a controversially complex final act, giving fans one last glimpse at the characters who made the series so hauntingly unforgettable.