The Conjuring Last Rites Review: I finally got around to watching The Conjuring: Last Rites, and let me just say, this one left me with mixed feelings, but also a sense of closure. This is being sold as the final Conjuring movie with Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), and as someone who’s followed them from the very beginning, it felt bittersweet walking out of the theater.
Let’s break it down.
My Rating: 3.0/5
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Chaves |
| Writers | Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (story also by James Wan) |
| Producers | James Wan, Peter Safran |
| Cast | Vera Farmiga (Lorraine Warren), Patrick Wilson (Ed Warren), Mia Tomlinson (Judy), Ben Hardy (Tony Spera), plus the Smurl family and returning Conjuring characters |
| Runtime | 2h 15m |
| Release Date | September 5, 2025 (US/international) |
The Setup
The film takes place in 1986, following the infamous Smurl family haunting. This time around, the evil presence isn’t just tormenting a random family; it’s coming after the Warrens directly. That personal angle is what gives Last Rites a bit more emotional weight compared to the previous entry, The Devil Made Me Do It.
Right from the start, the film makes it clear: Ed’s health is failing, their popularity is fading, and even pop culture (Ghostbusters in particular) has turned them into punchlines. You can feel the sense of an ending.
What Worked for Me
The heart of this movie isn’t the jump scares; it’s Ed and Lorraine.
I loved how much more time the story spends with them as people, not just ghost-hunters. Their daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson) finally gets more to do, and her dynamic with her boyfriend Tony (Ben Hardy) adds some much-needed warmth. Watching Ed play the overprotective dad, suspicious of Tony, gave the film a surprisingly fun subplot that balanced out the darker themes.
Michael Chaves, who’s directed several films in this universe now (The Curse of La Llorona, The Nun II, The Conjuring 3), has definitely upped his game here. While he’s no James Wan, this might be his strongest work in the franchise. A handful of the scare sequences genuinely got under my skin, especially one involving the haunting’s more disturbing “real-life” claims. There’s also a climactic showdown that felt big and memorable enough to justify this being the Warrens’ final case.
Most importantly, the movie gives Ed and Lorraine a heartfelt send-off. For longtime fans, that’s what really makes this installment worthwhile.
Where It Fell Short
Now, here’s where I struggled.
The pacing is rough. For a movie about a family in danger, it takes forever for the Warrens to actually get involved. At one point, I was checking my watch, thinking, “We’re an hour in, when are they going to start the case?”
And while some scares were strong, others felt like the same recycled haunted-house formula we’ve seen a hundred times: character walks into a room, silence, buildup, loud sting. Repeat. When done back-to-back, these lose their impact fast. It’s exactly why possession movies can feel exhausting if they rely too heavily on the formula.
Also, the demon itself? Creepy, yes. Fully fleshed out? Not really. Most of its backstory is dropped in throwaway lines, which left me wishing the film dug a little deeper into what made this entity so dangerous.
The Good & The Bad
| Good | Bad |
|---|---|
| Strong focus on Ed and Lorraine’s personal journey | Slow pacing—takes too long for Warrens to join the case |
| Judy Warren and Tony subplot adds warmth and humor | Scares often rely on repetitive haunted-house formula |
| Several genuinely creepy and effective sequences | Demon’s backstory is underdeveloped |
| Emotional send-off for Ed and Lorraine | Some scenes drag and feel like filler |
| Solid third act with a memorable showdown | Doesn’t reach James Wan’s masterful level of tension |
Final Thoughts
The Conjuring: Last Rites gives the Warrens a proper, heartfelt goodbye, even if it doesn’t fully escape the haunted-house formula. For me, it was worth seeing in theaters as closure to a franchise I’ve followed for years.
Now the real question is: where does this universe go from here? More spin-offs? A prequel series? Whatever comes next, I just hope it feels fresh and not another rinse-and-repeat possession story.
Also Read: Wednesday Season 2 Review: Netflix’s Creepiest Hit Returns With Shocking Twists & Dark Secrets!
My Verdict
The Conjuring: Last Rites is far from perfect, but as a final chapter for Ed and Lorraine Warren, it hits the right emotional beats. It has enough scares to keep horror fans entertained, while longtime followers of the franchise will appreciate the focus on family and legacy.
If you’re just here for jump scares, you might walk away underwhelmed. But if you’ve grown attached to these characters over the years, this is a fitting goodbye.
⭐ Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
FAQs
Q: Do you need to watch all the other Conjuring movies before this one?
Not necessarily. But you’ll definitely get more out of the character arcs if you’ve seen at least the first two.
Q: Is this really the last Conjuring movie?
It’s being sold as the final Ed and Lorraine Warren case. Spin-offs (The Nun, Annabelle, etc.) are still fair game, and Warner Bros. might explore prequels or even a younger Warrens series.
Q: The Conjuring: Last Rites is scary?
There are a few solid creepy moments, but it’s not the scariest Conjuring entry. The emotional weight hits harder than the scares.
Q: Should I watch it in theaters or wait for streaming?
If you’re invested in the Warrens, it’s worth the big-screen experience. Casual horror fans could probably wait until it hits streaming.