The Conjuring: Last Rites proves the franchise should finally rest in peace 

The Conjuring: Last Rites opens with a lot of promise. It is set in the 1980s. It takes us into the story of the Smurl family who move into a new house. But soon they are haunted by terrifying events. The Warrens step in with their daughter, Judy. She is now older and gifted with psychic visions. Since this was the final movie of Ed and Lorraine's story, fans were filled with excitement.

However, The Conjuring: Last Rites feels like a movie carries the story like a burden on its shoulders. The jump scares are the same old ones. The cursed mirror feels like something we have seen before. And the pacing also finds it difficult to maintain the tension. This was a movie that was supposed to be the grand farewell to Ed and Lorraine Warren. But considering that fact, the horror often feels ordinary. Even the most dedicated fans will notice how much of this has already been done in earlier movies.

The Conjuring: Last Rites also has a bigger problem. The emotional parts are strong. Thanks to Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. But the scares do not match the intensity of the story. That contrast makes it clear that the franchise has run out of fresh ideas. It may be a commercial success, but as a creative work, it feels like the point has already been made. Which is why this movie proves that the franchise should finally rest in peace.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinions. Readers' discretion is advised.

The Conjuring: Last Rites - Why it is time to end the franchise

The Conjuring: Last Rites tries to build its horror around the real life Smurl haunting. The case is interesting. A family tormented by dark forces, a mirror that becomes a portal for evil, and Judy Warren stepping into her parents’ footsteps with her psychic abilities.

The setup is strong but the execution plays it too safe. The movie is heavily dependent on tricks like loud noises and quick scares, and those no longer shock an audience that has seen eight other movies in the same universe. It could have been a fresh take on the Warrens’ final case. But it ends up feeling like a retread of earlier stories.

Even the pacing makes the problem worse. The Warrens do not even reach the Smurl house until late into the movie. By then, the tension has already thinned out. The Conjuring movies worked best when the story felt tight and focused on the haunting itself.

Here, the film spends too much time building up, only to deliver a climax that feels rushed. It makes you realize that the franchise is stretching itself thin, trying to keep it alive without bringing anything new to the table.

Another issue is that the scares no longer feel grounded. The earlier Conjuring movies stood out because they combined supernatural horror with a strong emotional core. You cared about the families, you believed in the Warrens, and the terror was also there. The Conjuring: Last Rites still has heart, especially in the Warren family moments, but the horror side feels mechanical. The demon in the mirror does not leave the same impression as Bathsheba in the first film or Valak in The Conjuring 2. It proves that the creative energy that made the series iconic is gone.

The Conjuring: Last Rites makes it clear that the Warrens’ story has reached its natural end. The franchise has given us memorable villains, creepy cases, and two strong leads who carried it for over a decade.

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