The Conjuring: Last Rites
September 3rd, 2025
MOVIE: THE CONJURING: LAST RITES
STARRING: PATRICK WILSON, VERA FARMIGA, MIA TOMLINSON, BEN HARDY
DIRECTED BY: MICHAEL CHAVES
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)
RUN TIME: 135 MINUTES
RATED: R
After the disappointing misfire that was The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, many assumed the franchise had run its course. With two Nun spinoffs, three Annabelle films, and increasingly diminishing returns, it seemed like the well had finally run dry in James Wan’s horror universe. But surprisingly, there’s still a bit of gas left in the tank. The Conjuring: Last Rites manages to deliver a fitting, emotional, and frightening send-off. An ideal film to kick off the fall season and a worthy capstone to one of modern horror’s most successful series.
Set in 1984, the story brings director Michael Chaves back to the helm. Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, once again bringing sincerity and gravitas to their roles) have stepped away from active cases. Instead, they’re giving lectures, focusing on family life with daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson), and managing Ed’s heart condition. But when a haunted mirror resurfaces in a suburban Pittsburgh home, the Warrens are reluctantly drawn back in. This time, however, the evil forces have a deeply personal connection that threatens the entire family.
What has always set The Conjuring films apart is their ability to blend classic horror with genuine emotional depth. Last Rites leans into this strength. While it delivers on the expected scares of haunted imagery, axe murderers, eerie dolls, and shadowy figures, it also brings unexpected emotional weight. A flashback early on even brought this reviewer to tears. The film wisely centers its narrative on the Warrens’ bond with their daughter, adding stakes that feel more personal and grounded than in previous entries.
Wilson and Farmiga remain the franchise’s backbone. Their chemistry and emotional investment elevate the material, and Last Rites gives them more to work with than ever before. The screenplay- credited to Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick- sometimes shows the strain of too many cooks in the kitchen. Some subplots feel underdeveloped or overshadowed by the film’s relentless scare sequences. Still, for longtime fans, the emotional core and thematic consistency will likely outweigh those missteps.
If this truly is the final chapter, the series is going out on a high note. With only one true misfire in the main entries, The Conjuring remains one of the most consistent horror franchises in recent memory. Chaves channels the spirit of genre classics like Poltergeist, The Exorcist, and The Amityville Horror, all while maintaining the heart and soul that made the Warrens so compelling in the first place.
The Conjuring: Last Rites doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have to. It ends the series with heart, horror, and a powerful reminder of why we came to fear (and love) this universe in the first place.
3 STARS
THE CONJURING: LAST RITES IS PLAYING IN THEATERS THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2025.
Written by: Leo Brady
