Outside of Hide-and-Clap being one of the dumbest things I have ever seen in a film this is a fairly intelligent horror film. The characters basically act like human beings. There's little jumps in logic. The irrational elements are contained to things that would be unexplainable, i.e. The demonic powers that be. The Warren's home life getting a subplot helps round out the characters as well. So the script is pretty good for what its aims are.
But I wish it aimed for something higher. The Warrens are frauds and a film that grappled with that would be interesting to see; far more interesting than a better than average haunted house story. Because the production is interested in making a horror film the Warren's "case" files are treated earnestly-despite two of their best known cases being definitive hoaxes. Which would be ok if the film didn't lean into the "true" story nonsense and including the rote trope of the unbeliever being converted. (The sheriff's deputy in this case). I guess I would like to see a 100% grounded take on the Warrens-not just a horror film using them a veneer of authenticity.
With all that said, the film as a horror experience is quite good. Wan understands that less is more in horror (well at least in this movie) and much of the film's joys are the atmospherics. It is very old fashioned in how minimal the effects elements are. The acting-esp. Wilson-is also a lot better than in most horror films.
This is fully realized genre filmmaking. I wish it tried just a bit to transcend that.
But I wish it aimed for something higher. The Warrens are frauds and a film that grappled with that would be interesting to see; far more interesting than a better than average haunted house story. Because the production is interested in making a horror film the Warren's "case" files are treated earnestly-despite two of their best known cases being definitive hoaxes. Which would be ok if the film didn't lean into the "true" story nonsense and including the rote trope of the unbeliever being converted. (The sheriff's deputy in this case). I guess I would like to see a 100% grounded take on the Warrens-not just a horror film using them a veneer of authenticity.
With all that said, the film as a horror experience is quite good. Wan understands that less is more in horror (well at least in this movie) and much of the film's joys are the atmospherics. It is very old fashioned in how minimal the effects elements are. The acting-esp. Wilson-is also a lot better than in most horror films.
This is fully realized genre filmmaking. I wish it tried just a bit to transcend that.