'The Conjuring: Last Rites' Review: A Final Goodbye That Puts Family Over Fear & Leaves You Conflicted

The Case That Broke The Warrens

At the center of the film lies the case that finally broke Ed and Lorraine Warren. This was the investigation that ensured they never returned to the field again. At the start of the story, the pair are already retired, living a quieter life far away from exorcisms and late night calls. But a particular incident drags them back into the world they thought they had left behind.

The movie does not waste time pretending this is just another case. Right from the opening act, it positions the story as the one that ends their journey. The ghosts, possessions, and dark rituals are there, but they serve a larger point.

They are the catalysts that expose the cost of decades spent fighting the supernatural. Watching the Warrens stumble, struggle, and finally give in is a reminder that even paranormal warriors age and break. It is not a downfall but an inevitability.

A Flashback To Where It All Began

The film opens with a flashback to 1964. A young Ed and Lorraine take on their first case while Lorraine is pregnant with their daughter Judy. What starts as an investigation quickly spirals into a traumatic event that leads to an early delivery. In that moment, the seed is planted. Judy will always be linked to a demonic presence that refuses to leave.

This sequence sets the tone. Instead of diving straight into shocks, the film anchors itself in a family crisis. Judy is not just a child growing up with eccentric parents. She is someone marked from birth. Later montages and scattered scenes show her growing into adolescence and adulthood, never quite free of the feeling that something is watching.

Lorraine tries to ease her daughter’s anxiety with a lullaby like trick, a gentle reminder that the fear is all in her mind. But the audience knows the truth. That sense of an unseen shadow never leaves her.

Judy’s Life And The Weight Of Inheritance

As Judy matures, she meets Tony. He is not just a partner but someone who fully accepts the complicated baggage of her family. He knows about the dark cases, the exorcisms, the rumors, and yet he chooses to stay and marry her.

His presence brings Judy comfort, but it also raises the film’s most interesting question. Can someone truly live a normal life when demons hover at the edges of their family history?

Here the movie drifts into long stretches of family drama. Some viewers will check their watches, wondering where the horror went. The film is heavy on conversations, relationships, and emotional exchanges. For an audience expecting constant jolts, this can feel like a letdown.

But there is also value in the approach. It turns the Conjuring saga from a monster showcase into a family chronicle. If you care about the Warrens as people, you find yourself leaning in. If you only came for scares, you may lean back.

Circles Closing And Demons Returning

One of the smartest choices the script makes is to bring everything full circle. The very demon that haunted Lorraine during Judy’s birth returns here as the final antagonist. The case that began their careers becomes the case that ends it. The loop is complete, and the symmetry is almost poetic.

The film treats this not as defeat but as closure. The Warrens are not vanquished by some new otherworldly terror. They are undone by the same shadow that has stalked them all along. This makes the story less about spectacle and more about inevitability.

It resembles a myth where the hero returns to the beginning only to realize that the end was always waiting there. For a horror series, that is a surprisingly literary move.

Where Are The Scares

Of course, no one buys a ticket to a Conjuring film hoping for a family drama alone. They come for the scares. And this is where the film will frustrate many. With a runtime of 135 minutes, there are only a handful of moments that qualify as genuine horror.

The cursed mirror sequence works. The baptisms carry a sense of dread. A couple of long shot reveals are chilling. But beyond that, the film is remarkably restrained.

This is not necessarily a failure, but it is a deliberate gamble. If you measure success by how many times you leap out of your seat, the film will fall short. If you judge it by how effectively it ties together the Warrens’ journey, then it feels more satisfying.

The absence of frequent scares is both a flaw and a feature. It is disappointing on a Friday night thrill meter, but it is also what allows the ending to feel like a proper goodbye.

Performances And Craft

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga remain the anchors. They play Ed and Lorraine not as fearless ghostbusters but as tired partners who have lived with too much darkness. Their chemistry makes even the quieter scenes feel charged. At this point, they are less performers and more custodians of these characters.

The filmmaking itself is understated. The cinematography favors long takes and measured framing rather than flashy tricks. Sets look functional and lived in, as if the film wants to remind us that the Warrens live in the real world, not in a haunted amusement park.

The score is similarly restrained, occasionally spiking but mostly simmering in the background. All of this builds a reflective atmosphere that supports the idea of a farewell.

A Farewell That Divides

By the time the story reaches its final stretch, it becomes clear that The Conjuring: Last Rites is not built to scare but to conclude. The final five minutes are particularly moving. They are constructed to evoke nostalgia, reminding viewers of the long road that began more than a decade ago with the first film. It is sentimental, yes, but also effective.

Whether you accept this depends on what you want from the franchise. If you demand constant jolts, you may walk out disappointed. If you wanted closure, you will find it here.

The film cannot be both at once. It chooses one lane and stays there, even if it means alienating part of its audience.