Studio: Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
Release Date: 11/25/2025
Rating: R
Film Grade: B
The Story: After decades of investigating over a thousand cases and fighting off paranormal threats, the world is changing around Ed and Loraine Warren. Despite worldwide notoriety, interest in the otherworldly is fading and their services aren’t being called upon as often as they once were. That, combined with Ed’s health concerns, leaves them contemplating a future without field work, until the case of the Smurl family touches them in a way that cannot be ignored.
My Take: Strict horror fans may find themselves disappointed with this final entry as the movie leans more heavily on the human elements of the story. Frightful aspects are downplayed in a number of ways. The mystery element is underdeveloped, as the events that shaped the haunting in question are introduced early but never really brought together. Additionally, one of the series’ central themes has been the creation and reason for their museum collection, which could have been explored and emphasized as a major plot point here. Instead, the idea was left behind in favor of a jarring, and far less believable, development. The most glaring shortcoming is the resolution to the Smurl’s story. With the lack of exploration behind the events, the end comes too quickly and feels unearned.
Character development of the secondary players is unusually light here. In the prior movies, we spent almost as much time with the subjects of the hauntings, getting to know them and their circumstances and getting a good feel for the family’s dynamics and what’s at stake. While there is some of that here, it’s a bit roughshod and light, especially with the parents, who feel generic and almost like bystanders in their own story. That weakness extends to the acting and directing of those secondary roles as well, displaying an unusual gap in what had been involving performances in the other three installments.
Where the movie really works is with the Warren family themselves. While this starts off early with a dramatic encounter that ignites the action and plot, it’s a following scene that stands out in a key way. Ed and Loraine are wrapping up one of their typical college presentations, but as the lights come up, we find a dismal turnout. The few students present don’t have any real interest in their work and see them as easy targets for ridicule. This scene set the tone for this new decade and also tees up one of the themes of the story, as the Warrens face a skeptical public while at the same time are forced to confront Ed’s health problems, leaving them with a cloudy future. The effect is shocking to the audience, as the movie’s heroes have become irrelevant to the world around them, giving the story a true touch of melancholy and sadness.
This leads to the introduction of a grown-up Judy, the Warren’s only daughter, who adds both a new dimension and depth to the movie. While she has inherited some of her mother’s abilities, she’s not as accepting or capable of dealing with them. Along with Judy, we also meet her boyfriend, Tony. An ex-cop who is both interested in, and naive about, the Warren’s work, he provides a grounding point for the audience along with an unexpected romantic touch. This part of the story worked really well for me, creating a burgeoning family element counterbalancing their unknown future.
As in the previous installments, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are remarkably believable as the Warrens. In my recent review of the new 4K release of the original Conjuring movie, I was struck by the affection, respect, and true partnership that was displayed. That feeling continues and grows with this one. It’s apparent that the two actors have invested a bit of themselves in these characters and have chosen to portray them with deep and honest respect rather than falling into what could have been simplistic caricatures. The relationship between Judy and Tony has similar echoes, even if they’re still at a very early point in their lives.
Visuals: Although the movie was shot digitally, there is a small amount of either digital noise or grain. In the extras, the director talks about picking out specific Panavision lenses for a look that harkens back to 80’s horror. Much of the movie is dark, with deep blacks, while some highlights look slightly blown out. It’s a fitting and appropriate look to the series.
Audio: Horror titles can offer a ripe playground for an Atmos soundtrack, and this doesn’t disappoint in the slightest, easily passing my outdoor bird test. But the fun starts almost immediately with the opening sequence in an antique store filled with clocks that surround the audience. Creaks, whispers, and discreet effects accompany the ambient sounds of the film’s various settings, with the movie making good use of both overheads and the oft-neglected wide channels. There’s also some nice attention to detail, as when a character is shooting some video with a camcorder and the soundtrack collapses to the center speaker. Not to be left out, the movie is a bass monster, with lots of low-end rumbling adding to the unease. Dialog is clear and intelligible.
Soundtrack chores have been turned over to prolific composer Benjamin Wallfisch (Twisters, Alien: Romulus, Dunkirk, Moon) who turns in a score that tends to overamplify the onscreen events rather than accompany them. Still, it hits the right notes and creates a sense of dread when needed but also manages to tug on the heartstrings with just the right amount of warmth during the ending moments without feeling hokey.
Special Features: The three featurettes discuss both the franchise’s history and what went into making the movie. Well worth watching for fans, with a chance to catch up with some of the previous entries’ actors.
- Last Rites: An Era Ends – featurette (8:45)
- The Conjuring: Crafting Scares – featurette (8:40)
- Michael Chaves: Believer – featurette (7:04)
Final Verdict: With this being promoted as the last film in the series, I approached it with a tinge of sadness. It’s not often that a horror franchise can keep things interesting and compelling for this long without stumbling (I’m ignoring the various spinoffs), so the finale could have left the audience with a feeling of emptiness. Instead, the ending scene capped off the series in a surprisingly touching way. While those looking for tons of shocks and waves of pure terror may feel slightly let down, I found it particularly warm and fitting in the underlying emotional themes of the series.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t some scary moments and creepy scenes, with the low-end heft and active nature of the soundtrack adding an extra element of unease. While not meant as a biopic or documentary reenactment, the movie manages to present earnest portrayals of a couple that devoted their lives to each other, their daughter, and to helping those in the greatest of needs by using the special gifts they were granted. Call me a softy, but it was that message of love and devotion that left me with a feeling of warmth and contentment with this closing chapter of their story.
Recommended for fans of the series; I couldn’t imagine it as being complete without this final entry.
Fun Fact: The ending scenes feature some returning characters, along with the real-life Judy and Tony, and series creator James Wan. Larry King also makes a posthumous appearance.
My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
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