AS IT STANDS The Conjuring is sandwiched in the middle of James Wan’s directorial career, nestled nicely alongside Insidious, which was released two years earlier.

When you combine this with the likes of Saw, Insidious 2 and now The Conjuring 2, Wan has firmly established himself as a master in the horror genre field.

This movie was potentially (and arguably) a game changer for Wan and is most certainly an indication of a man coming into his own within his craft.

Upon closer scrutiny, the film treads familiar ground centring on a family haunted by an evil, malevolent spirt, that wishes to do some serious harm to them all.

There are even obvious homages to the original Poltergeist movie, but where it starts to tread new ground and where Wan shines brightly is through his storytelling and excellent use of light and shadow.

The pace of the movie is handled with great care. The balance of tension is beautifully interspersed with scares. And when those scare come, they come with genuine spine-tingling reality.

In fact, part of the appeal of The Conjuring is through its gritty realism. Throw in some strong performances from Lili Taylor, Vera Farmiga, and Patrick Wilson, and you’ve got yourself a credible and believable movie that captivates and entertains throughout.

– Saul Muerte

For more insights on the film check out the podcast discussions below, but be warned, I handed over host duties to Mr Antony Yee for this one and he pushed the time limit just a tad. But not without his charm and knowledge thrown into the mix.