The Conjuring Last Rites Reactions Call It The Scariest And Best Yet

Early word on 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' just dropped, and horror folks are basically saying the franchise stuck the landing. Not bad for a ninth-or-so trip through this universe.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are back as Ed and Lorraine Warren for what the studio is calling the end of "phase one" of The Conjuring universe. Yes, they are literally using phases now, Marvel-style. The door is cracked for a potential phase two, but this film is designed as a proper goodbye to the core Warren chapter.

The case this time pulls from the real-life Smurl haunting: a Pennsylvania family who claimed a demon plagued their home for roughly 15 years in the 1970s and 80s. So think domestic nightmare meets endurance test, which fits the Warrens to a T.

The vibe from first reactions

Overall: very positive. Critics are calling it a scarier, more emotional sendoff that leans hard on the Wilson/Farmiga chemistry. There is some variation on where it ranks in the series, but the throughline is that the performances and the heart land, with plenty of jolts to go around.

"They saved the scariest and most emotional chapter for last with #TheConjuringLastRites... a spooky, creepy, unwaveringly unnerving fright fest of freak-outs and a loving tribute to familial perseverance. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga remain the heart and soul." — Courtney Howard

• Meagan Navarro (Bloody Disgusting) calls it a rousing farewell that reminds you why these characters work, a return to form that brings the scares but even more heart — enough to get her a little teary.
• Perri Nemiroff (Collider) says it is a solid conclusion to Wilson and Farmiga’s run and more proof this is all-time great casting. Even when the films vary, their commitment and warmth have been magnetic since day one, and that holds to the finish.
• Tatiana Hullender (ScreenRant) found it gripping both as horror and as family drama, saying she has never rooted harder for the Warrens or worried more for their safety — and she puts this among the franchise’s best.
• Caralynn Matassa (CBR) lands on "perfectly satisfying" for this chapter — not the top of the four main Conjuring entries and not the bottom — with plenty of those "oh f***" jolt moments, standout creature/design work, and (again) big heart anchored by Vera and Patrick.

The throughline: Ed and Lorraine still carry it

Across the board, everyone agrees Wilson and Farmiga are the spine of this thing — the reason the scares hit and the reason the goodbye feels earned. If you wanted the series to go out with both a chill and a lump in the throat, that seems to be what they made.

Release date

'The Conjuring: Last Rites' hits theaters on September 5.