The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It — A Review

31st October, 2022.

It’s officially official,

It’s Halloween: and I have the evening free.

And?

I’m JUST finishing cooking dinner.

I’m going to eat that: obviously!

Then?

Watch a film.

I have to admit: I had a few movies I felt I could watch.

The Black Phone looks interesting.

As does Strickland’s Flux Gormet.

Eventually?

I settled for the 2021, Micheal Chaves directed, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

By the time I’ve had a good night’s sleep?

I’ll be able to tell you more … 

~≈👻≈~

1st November, 2022.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It opens in 1981: and shows us Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) present at the exorcism of 8-year-old David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard): also present at the Glatzel family home, are David’s parents, his sister Debbie (Sarah Catherine), her boyfriend Arne (Ruairi O’Connor) and Father Gordon (Steve Coulter).

At what turns out to be a rough assignment for Father Gordon, Arne grabs the tormented David: and tempts the demon by offering himself as a victim, instead of the youngster.

As the demon does possess Arne?

It’s watched by Ed: causing the veteran paranormal investigator to have a heart attack … and be dragged to the nearest emergency ward.

Post titles?   And a month later?

We see Lorraine still at her unconscious husband’s side: at the point he comes ’round.

Comes ’round … only to warn his wife of two things.

• Arne is possessed by a demon.
• And the police better get to Arne’s place of work.

Something nasty’s due to happen, any … minute … now.

~≈👻≈~

Now … 

What did I make of this film?

Of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It?

Now … I saw the first two film in this series — The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 — back in 2016.

And came away if not impressed: then certainly entertained.

They’re well made, entertaining, pieces of work, with an interesting central idea.

That Ed and Lorraine are genuine paranormal investigators, that the films we’re shown are their case files, and that other films in the franchise about the things in the Warrens’ archive.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is another on the same lines: based on a true story the real world Warrens were involved with.

The question is … was the film any good?

I have to admit: yes … and possibly no.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is well made.

As with the rest of the Conjuring franchise, it’s got good performances, looks good on screen, and our two heroes — Ed and Lorraine — are both sympathetic … and a pair we’ve come to enjoy spending time with.

In that sense, seeing this film is like catching up with the neighbours: we pleased to about what they’ve been doing.

The downside to it?

Is that this film is possibly a little too formulaic: a little too ‘Let’s find that evil and stop them!’

The Devil Made Me Do It is possibly a little too focused on finding the witch causing the problems, when maybe it could’ve concentrated on being a supernatural courtroom drama.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is a good film.

It’s just not as good as it could be.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

★★☆☆