The Conjuring (2013) Review: A Terrifying Classic

What if the house you moved into to give your family a better life turned out to be the place you feared most?

The Conjuring takes this terrifying idea and connects it to the reported experiences of a real family who lived in an old farmhouse in Rhode Island. The Perron family claimed that their home was filled with unexplained disturbances, strange encounters, and events they struggled to understand. When paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren became involved, the case gained even more attention.

What is the movie about?

The Conjuring follows Roger and Carolyn Perron, who move into an old Island farmhouse with their five daughters. At first, the family hopes to enjoy their new home, but strange things soon begin to happen. They hear unusual noises, notice objects moving on their own, and experience frightening events, especially at night. As the situation gets worse, Carolyn begins to believe that something evil is living inside the house.

The family eventually asks Ed and Lorraine Warren for help. They are a married couple who investigate reports of paranormal activity. Ed studies the strange events, while Lorraine tries to understand the presence they may be dealing with. As they investigate the house, they discover disturbing details about its past and realize that the family may be in serious danger.

Cast and Character

Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren

Vera Farmiga plays Lorraine Warren, a paranormal investigator who helps families dealing with unexplained events. Lorraine is sensitive to the presence of spirits and often feels the danger before others understand what is happening. Her expressions and reactions make Lorraine’s fear feel real, especially when she begins to understand how dangerous the haunting could become.

Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren

Patrick Wilson plays Ed Warren, Lorraine’s husband and partner in paranormal investigations. He tries to understand the situation by examining the evidence and finding a way to help the family. Wilson gives Ed a confident but caring personality, making him more than just a typical horror movie hero. His relationship with Lorraine also adds warmth to the story.

Lili Taylor as Carolyn Perron

Lili Taylor plays Carolyn Perron, a mother who moves into the farmhouse with her husband and five daughters. As strange events begin to affect her family, Carolyn becomes increasingly frightened and desperate to protect her children. Taylor’s performance is one of the film’s emotional strengths because she shows a mother struggling to understand what is happening while trying to remain strong for her family.

Ron Livingston as Roger Perron

Ron Livingston plays Roger Perron, Carolyn’s husband and the father of their five daughters. Roger wants to protect his family, but he struggles to understand the frightening events taking place around them. He initially tries to deal with the situation in a practical way, even as the danger grows. Livingston makes Roger feel like an ordinary father caught in an extraordinary situation, which helps the story feel believable.

Genre: Supernatural Horror

Director: James Wan

Writer: Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes

Based On: Reported paranormal experiences of the Perron family

Rating: IMDb 7.5/10

Cinematography and visuals

The farmhouse plays an important role in creating fear. It is an old, isolated house surrounded by trees, making it feel far away from help. At first, it seems like a peaceful place for the Perron family to start a new life. However, as strange events begin to happen, the house slowly becomes a place where nobody feels safe. Dark rooms, long hallways, and the basement add to the feeling that something could be hiding nearby. The house feels frightening because the family cannot escape the fear even when they are inside their own home.

The film uses darkness and shadows to make familiar places look dangerous. Many scenes take place in dimly lit rooms, where it is difficult to see every corner clearly. This creates fear because the audience is left wondering what might be hiding in the dark. The camera also moves through hallways and rooms in ways that build suspense, sometimes showing an empty space for long enough to make viewers feel uncomfortable. Instead of revealing everything at once, the film often makes the audience wait for something to appear. This careful use of lighting and camera angles helps create tension without showing the threat in every scene.

Sound is one of the main reasons the film feels so scary. Strange footsteps, creaking doors, unexplained sounds, and sudden loud noises keep the audience alert. The film also uses silence to build suspense. Sometimes, the quiet makes a scene more frightening because viewers know something might happen but do not know when. The clapping game is a good example of how a simple sound can turn an ordinary moment into a terrifying experience. These sound choices make the audience feel as if they are inside the house with the family.

What makes the movie different from other horror movies

What makes The Conjuring (2013) different from many other horror movies is its combination of family drama, supernatural investigation, and religious elements. The story does not focus only on a haunted house. It also shows how the frightening events affect the Perron family and their relationships. Roger and Carolyn are trying to give their five daughters a comfortable home, but their new beginning turns into a nightmare. This makes the horror more personal because the audience sees a family trying to protect one another.

Another thing that makes the film interesting is the way Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate the haunting. Instead of showing the supernatural threat immediately, the movie slowly reveals strange events through the family’s experiences and the Warrens’ investigation. Each discovery raises more questions and makes the situation feel more dangerous. This gradual build-up creates suspense because the audience knows something is wrong but does not fully understand what the family is facing.

Religion also plays an important role in the story. Ed and Lorraine approach the haunting through their beliefs and experience with paranormal cases. As the situation becomes more serious, religious practices become part of their attempt to protect the family. This adds another layer to the horror, as the conflict is not simply between people and a frightening presence, but between the family’s desire for safety and a force they believe they cannot fight through ordinary means.

The film also gives its characters emotional struggles that make the story more engaging. Carolyn’s fear for her children, Roger’s efforts to protect his family, and Lorraine’s growing concern create tension beyond the supernatural events. The audience becomes invested in their safety before the haunting reaches its most frightening stage.

The Clapping Game

What begins as a simple game between a mother and her child quickly becomes frightening when strange claps are heard from somewhere inside the house. The fear comes from not knowing who or what is making the sound. The scene uses darkness, silence, and the family’s reactions to build suspense. It shows how even an innocent game can become terrifying when something unexplained enters the picture.

The Cellar Scene

The cellar adds another layer of fear because it is dark, isolated, and difficult to see clearly. When Carolyn finds herself in the basement, the atmosphere becomes tense as the lighting and camera work make the space feel unsafe. The fear comes from the sense that she is alone in a place where something could happen at any moment. The scene also makes the house feel more threatening, suggesting that the danger is not limited to one room or one part of the family’s daily life.

The Disturbing Events happened with Carolyn

Carolyn becomes increasingly affected by the events in the farmhouse. Her fear becomes more intense as she tries to protect her children while dealing with something she cannot fully understand. These scenes are specifically unsettling because they focus on a mother who wants to keep her family safe but is gradually losing control of the situation. Lili Taylor’s performance makes Carolyn’s distress believable, helping the audience feel the emotional weight of what is happening.

The Hidden Presence

The wardrobe of the room becomes scary because the audience begins to suspect that something may be hiding just beyond view. These moments work because they use a common fear of the unknown rather than showing the threat immediately. The uncertainty keeps viewers alert, making even a quiet scene feel uncomfortable.

The real case

The story behind The Conjuring began in January 1971, when Roger and Carolyn Perron moved into an old farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, with their five daughters. At first, the property seemed like a peaceful place to raise a family, but the Perrons later claimed that they experienced strange and frightening events inside the house. They reported unexplained noises, unusual smells, and apparitions that made them feel as though they were not alone.

According to their eldest daughter, Andrea Perron, the family continued to experience these disturbances for years. In 1973, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren became involved in the case and visited the property to investigate the family’s claims.

Ending explained (Spoiler Alert)

The conclusion also shows how important family love is to the story. Carolyn’s connection with her children becomes a powerful part of her fight against the evil force. Rather than ending only with the defeat of a supernatural threat, the film closes with the family’s survival and the hope of returning to a more peaceful life.

What I liked about The Conjuring

The bond between Ed and Lorraine Warren is one of the strongest parts of the film. Their relationship is based on love, trust, and support, and they stand by each other even in dangerous situations. I also liked how the movie shows the Perron family’s love for one another. Despite the frightening events in their home, Roger and Carolyn remain focused on protecting their five daughters. These relationships make the story more emotional and give the audience a reason to care about what happens to the characters.

Moreover, the farmhouse, family conversations, and everyday activities make the setting feel familiar, which makes the strange events more frightening when they begin. The characters react to fear in ways that feel natural, helping the audience connect with their situation. Although the movie includes supernatural events that are not scientifically proven, its portrayal of family struggles, fear, and the need to protect loved ones feels realistic. This balance between horror and human emotions makes The Conjuring more engaging than a film that relies only on jump scares.

What I didn’t like about The Conjuring

One thing I didn’t like about The Conjuring was its slow pacing, especially in the early parts of the movie. Although the slow build-up helps create suspense, some scenes feel stretched out and take too long to reach the main action. The film spends a lot of time showing strange noises, unusual movements, and the family’s reactions before revealing more about the haunting. While this approach builds tension, it can also make certain moments feel repetitive and reduce the impact of the horror.

I also felt that the movie could have provided more backstory about the supernatural presence in the farmhouse. Although the film introduces the Warrens and gives some information about the haunting, certain details about the history of the house like how the evil force was born there and the events connected to it remain limited. More background information could have helped viewers understand the source of the evil and why the Perron family became its target. Despite these weaknesses, the film still manages to create an unsettling atmosphere and deliver several memorable horror scenes.

Where to watch The Conjuring

The Conjuring streams on HBO Max in the US, according to JustWatch on November 4, 2026. Every other film in the series is there too. If you want to watch them all, our Conjuring movies in order guide has the story order and the release order.

What to watch after The Conjuring

Start with The Conjuring 2 (2016), which is just as good. If you want something heavier, try Hereditary or Hokum. For more classic scares, see our scariest movies of all time.

Final Verdict

James Wan’s direction creates an unsettling atmosphere, while Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson bring warmth and depth to Ed and Lorraine Warren’s relationship. Although the slow pacing and limited backstory may leave some viewers wanting more, the film makes up for these weaknesses with its creepy setting, strong performances, and focus on family.

If you enjoy haunted-house stories, unexplained events, and horror that builds tension rather than relying only on jump scares, this film deserves a place on your watchlist. Turn off the lights, watch it with friends, and prepare for a chilling experience that might make every strange noise in your house feel a little more frightening.

My Rating: 8/10