England, 1977. Peggy Hodgson is a separated mother of four struggling to make ends meet in a council house on the outskirts of London, in the Enfield neighborhood. As if financial hardship weren't enough, her situation worsens when strange events begin plaguing the home. The spirit of a former tenant possesses her daughter Janet, determined not to leave its dwelling. The case captures national attention, earning comparisons to the American "Amityville" haunting, and reaches the Vatican's ears. The Church enlists paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to verify the phenomena and find a solution if genuine. What follows is an intense battle between good and evil—not only involving the spirit possessing young Janet, but also a formidable demon tormenting Lorraine since their last Amityville investigation, one that has predicted a tragic fate for someone she holds dear.
Director, screenwriter, producer—James Wan wears many hats in contemporary horror, where he has established himself as one of the most talented and important masters of the genre. His rise began with the excellent first Saw film, was slightly derailed by the decent Dead Silence, and reached its peak with two Insidious films and especially The Conjuring (2013). That film, based on a real case investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren, not only delivered exceptional terror cinema—no small feat these days—but also launched one of the most successful franchises around, as evidenced by the mediocre Annabelle spinoff. Such success inevitably led to a sequel, and right on schedule came The Conjuring 2, directed by James Wan himself, who had taken a break from horror to work on Fast & Furious. No comeback could have been more rewarding, as this sequel is truly impressive and genuinely terrifying—so much so that it comes with a warning for sensitive viewers about potential sleepless nights.
The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case has numerous strengths, starting with the most obvious one. Wan's command of tension is, as always, masterful. The bleak, dark atmosphere obscures any sense of danger, creating disorientation that leaves viewers in constant anxiety from beginning to end. This is heightened by Joseph Bishara's excellent score, featuring sharp, precisely-timed musical cues that match the film's various moments. Several memorable sequences hinge on one of the most unsettling figures in recent horror: a statuesque demon dressed as a nun that torments Lorraine and anchors a significant subplot. The story moves along two parallel tracks—the Hodgson family's ordeal and Lorraine's trauma from the previous Amityville séance—which interweave beautifully and complement each other throughout.
However, an ambitious undertaking of this scope, especially for a horror film running 133 minutes, inevitably has cracks in its plot structure. The narrative lacks originality and, more importantly, stumbles badly in a disappointing, rushed, and shallow finale that resolves the possession without the expected climactic payoff. The strategy of plunging the audience into a spiral of terror from the start becomes a double-edged sword; maintaining such intensity across so many sequences proves difficult to sustain.
Despite these minor flaws, Wan's new film deserves high marks, bolstered by a strong cast. Vera Farmiga confirms she was born to play Lorraine, and young Madison Wolfe emerges as a revelation, delivering one of the most frightening and believable possessed-child performances in recent memory. If you're looking for quality horror crafted with meticulous attention to detail, The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case is perfect for you and comes highly recommended. Wan has hit the mark once again!
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