- R
- 2h 14m
- Directed by
-
- James Wan
- Story
- Chad Hayes
- Premiered
- June 08, 2016
- Language
-
- English
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $40,000,000.00
- Revenue
- $322,819,915.00
- Awards
-
- 4 wins & 13 nominations total
- Country
-
- United States of America
The Conjuring 2
- Production
-
- New Line Cinema
- The Safran Company
- Atomic Monster
- RatPac Entertainment
Spoiler
In the chilling autumn of 1975, the air in Amityville, New York, hung heavy with an unspeakable dread. Within the walls of a house forever etched in infamy, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, portrayed with gravitas by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, found themselves face-to-face with the tormented Lutz family. Just a year prior, the brutal murder of the DeFeo family by Ronald DeFeo, Jr., had cast a long shadow over the property, and the Lutz's subsequent claims of terrifying supernatural encounters had drawn the Warrens into its vortex. During a harrowing séance, Lorraine, gifted with a profound psychic sensitivity, was plunged into a terrifying vision. She found herself inhabiting Ronald's perspective on that fateful night, witnessing the unimaginable horrors unfold. The vision was a brutal descent into madness, as she saw herself perpetrating the heinous acts, first against Ronald's parents, then his three young siblings. The spectral torment escalated with the appearance of a demonic entity, manifesting as a terrifying nun, followed by the chilling image of a man succumbing to death. Lorraine's piercing scream shattered the illusion, and a concerned Ed, his face etched with worry, pulled her back from the abyss, offering solace in the tangible reality of their presence.
Three years later, the narrative shifts across the Atlantic to the unassuming town of Enfield, England, in 1977. The mundane reality of school life for young Janet Hodgson, played by the remarkably talented Madison Wolfe, is abruptly interrupted. Outside the school gates, sharing a clandestine cigarette with her friend Camilla (Emily Tasker), Janet is caught in the act by a stern teacher. The confiscated cigarette is not merely taken; the teacher herself takes a puff, a fleeting moment of normalcy before the encroaching darkness.
Janet’s home life is a tapestry of struggle and resilience. She shares a cramped existence with her older sister Margaret (Lauren Esposito), her younger brothers Johnny (Patrick McAuley) and Billy (Benjamin Haigh), and their devoted but weary mother, Peggy (Frances O'Connor). The family grapples with severe financial hardship, a burden amplified by the absence of the children's father, who has abandoned them for another woman. Young Billy’s speech impediment makes him a target for cruel taunts at school, adding another layer to Peggy’s profound self-doubt as a single parent navigating the treacherous waters of raising her children alone.
As night descends, a palpable sense of unease permeates the Hodgson household. Janet and Margaret lie in their shared bedroom, attempting to find solace in sleep. But for Janet, slumber offers no escape. A disturbing presence makes itself known, a chilling whisper that seems to emanate from within her. Initially, it appears as if she’s speaking to herself, but then a guttural, raspy voice responds, declaring with chilling finality, "This is my house!" Margaret, accustomed to Janet’s playful antics, dismisses it as a prank. However, the unsettling nature of the voice intensifies when Janet stands by Margaret’s bed, and the same gruff, aged male voice repeats the possessive claim, this time directed at Margaret. A quick flick of the light reveals no one behind her, leaving Margaret to sleep with the light on, a small beacon against the encroaching shadows.
Meanwhile, back in the United States, the Warrens find themselves in the glare of the public eye. On a talk show, they are confronted with the Amityville case, a subject met with skepticism by a fellow guest who dismisses their claims as a fabrication and questions Lorraine’s psychic abilities. The accusation ignites Ed’s protective fury, leading to a heated exchange. It is Lorraine, ever the calming influence, who de-escalates the situation backstage, her gentle touch soothing Ed’s righteous anger.
The unsettling phenomena in Enfield escalate, weaving a sinister pattern around the children. Janet and Billy, attempting to find a moment of levity, play with a turntable, its melody echoing the unsettling tune of "There Was a Crooked Man." As bedtime approaches, a disturbing ritual begins. Janet ties her arm to the bed, a strange act that culminates in her finding herself inexplicably on the living room floor, with no memory of how she arrived there. Billy, venturing through the house, encounters a toy firetruck. He rolls it into a hallway tent, only for it to reappear moments later in his room. A second attempt to place it in the tent is met with a booming groan from the darkness. Frightened, Billy flees to his mother’s room, while Margaret hears a persistent pounding at her door. Upon opening it, she finds no one there, only for Janet to reappear, feigning ignorance of any pounding.
The following day, the electronic world of the Hodgson home turns against them. Janet, engrossed in television, witnesses the channels inexplicably change on their own, the remote control having vanished. A frantic search leads her to find it on the chair behind her, just as a spectral figure materializes from the corner, its guttural growl echoing, "MY HOUSE!" Janet’s scream of terror reverberates through the house.
That evening, the haunting takes a more violent turn. Janet is found on her bedroom floor, as if violently thrown. She confides in Margaret about a presence in the house. Before Margaret can dismiss her sister’s fears, their beds begin to shake violently. A shared scream sends them rushing to their mother’s room. Peggy, initially believing it to be a childish prank, enters the girls’ room. Her skepticism shatters when their dresser is violently shoved against the door, trapping them.
Seeking refuge, the Hodgson family flees across the street to the home of their neighbors, the Nottinghams. Peggy calls the police to investigate her home. The officers, finding nothing immediately amiss, are soon confronted by an undeniable manifestation of the paranormal: a chair slides across the room on its own, leaving them visibly shaken and unnerved.
Back in the United States, the spectral presence begins to manifest in the Warrens’ own home. Ed, consumed by his visions, is painting a disturbing image from a dream – the same demonic nun that haunted Lorraine during the Amityville séance. Later, while Lorraine is with their daughter Judy (Sterling Jerins), a chilling noise emanates from the hallway. Judy, venturing to investigate, is met with a horrifying sight: the demon nun staring back at her. Lorraine follows the apparition into the office, initially mistaking the painting for the entity. But the demon is indeed present, and it animates the painting, its growl a prelude to a terrifying assault. Lorraine is once again plunged into her vision, this time witnessing Ed’s death, a wooden spike impaling him as he utters, "I'm sorry, Lorraine." Judy’s desperate cries pull her back from the brink of despair.
News of the Hodgson’s plight spreads through Enfield, attracting the attention of paranormal researchers. Among them are Maurice Grosse (Simon McBurney) and Anita Gregory (Franka Potente). Anita, a staunch skeptic, voices her doubts about the authenticity of the phenomena, citing a lack of concrete evidence. Maurice, however, with a news crew in tow, gathers at the Hodgson home to interview Janet and Margaret. During the interview, Janet, visibly uncomfortable, begins to speak with the raspy voice of an old man. The entity identifies itself as Bill Wilkins, a 72-year-old man, demanding that the intruders vacate his home.
Across the street, at the Nottingham residence, the children sleep in the living room. While the household slumbers, Billy ventures through the house, encountering a terrifying manifestation of The Crooked Man. The creature recites the nursery rhyme in a monstrous fashion, pursuing Billy through the darkened halls. He rushes to his mother, but it is Janet who appears, her voice now the chilling echo of Bill Wilkins. She emits a horrifying sound that shatters the room’s glass, then collapses, foaming at the mouth.
A concerned priest brings an audio recording of the Enfield interview to the Warrens, imploring them to intervene. Lorraine, still haunted by the vision of Ed’s death, expresses her hesitation. Ed, however, sees it as a sign, a chance for Lorraine to avert the foreseen tragedy. They resolve to travel to England.
Upon their arrival in Enfield, the Warrens meet the Hodgson family. Peggy leads Ed to the girls’ bedroom, now a scene of utter devastation, the walls adorned with inverted crosses. They secure the room with a chain. Lorraine finds Janet outside, sitting on a swingset, expressing her isolation and the fear she inspires in others. Lorraine offers comfort, suggesting that even one person can make a difference. Janet reveals that the entity has threatened to harm Lorraine.
In the Hodgson living room, the Warrens, alongside Maurice and other investigators, attempt to communicate with the spirit. Janet, seated in a chair, begins to speak with Bill Wilkins’ voice when the adults turn their backs. Ed brandishes his cross necklace, confronting Janet. Bill’s voice falters, uttering an unintelligible cry before an eerie calm descends.
The investigators convene to discuss their findings. Anita remains unconvinced, suspecting Janet of orchestrating a elaborate deception. Even Ed harbors doubts.
The Warrens decide to stay the night. In the bedroom adorned with crosses, the symbols begin to turn upside down. Janet is attacked by Bill’s ghost, her screams alerting the adults. They rush to unlock the door, freeing Janet from the spectral assault.
On another occasion, Peggy leads Ed to the flooded basement, a persistent water problem. Peggy senses a presence behind Ed, but it is the ghostly form of Bill Wilkins, emerging from the water to grab her. Ed intervenes, helping her break free.
As the Warrens’ stay continues, a bond forms between them and the children. Noticing the children’s longing for music, Peggy mentions her ex-husband took their record player. Ed, ever resourceful, buys an Elvis record. When the player malfunctions, Ed picks up a guitar and begins to play "Can't Help Falling in Love With You," offering a moment of solace and encouragement to the children, urging them to stand strong against bullies.
Lorraine speaks with Maurice privately. He hints at their involvement in a historic event. He confides in Lorraine about the loss of his own daughter years ago, his enduring hope of communicating with her.
A chilling night unfolds as the children hear noises from the kitchen. Johnny, determined to confront the "bully," investigates. Margaret’s scream signals Janet’s disappearance. She reappears in the kitchen, wielding a knife and having locked the door. The adults struggle to enter the kitchen as objects are hurled around. They find the kitchen in disarray, but Johnny and Janet are nowhere to be seen. Johnny is eventually found, and Janet is discovered trapped inside an electrical box, uttering another unintelligible message before being freed.
Anita presents video evidence suggesting Janet has been faking the haunting, throwing objects in the kitchen to create the illusion of paranormal activity. Peggy, disheartened, asks everyone to leave. Later, as the children also begin to believe Janet was faking, she confesses that the entity threatened to harm her family if she didn't comply.
The Warrens prepare to depart for home. Lorraine remains uneasy, questioning how Janet could have appeared to be faking when a camera was rolling. Ed plays recordings of Bill’s voice, realizing they are connected. When played together, the fragmented messages form a plea: "Help me! It won't let me go!" Lorraine is then pulled into another vision. She sees the real Bill Wilkins, no longer menacing, sitting peacefully in his chair. He speaks a riddle to Lorraine, before the demon nun appears behind him and drags him away. Lorraine realizes Bill was a pawn, and the demon the true threat. They race back to the Hodgson home, deciphering the riddle. Ed deduces that Bill’s riddle points to the need to discover the demon’s name to gain power over it.
The Warrens return to find the Hodgson family stranded outside in a torrential downpour. Ed attempts to break into the house from the rear. A lightning strike transforms a tree in front of the house into a sharpened stem, a chilling echo of the instrument of Ed’s foreseen death. Lorraine frantically searches for the demon’s name, her gaze falling upon her scribbled notes in her bible. The name, Valak, leaps out at her. She rushes into the house to aid Ed.
Inside, Ed is partially blinded by a burst pipe spraying steam. He stumbles, attacked by The Crooked Man, before finding Janet by the window. As the glass shatters, she prepares to leap onto the sharpened stem. Ed lunges, catching her just as the curtains rip. Lorraine arrives, attempting to save Ed, but Valak emerges, holding her back. Lorraine utters the demon’s name, condemning it back to the inferno. She rushes to Ed and Janet, saving them at the last possible moment. Janet is unharmed.
As dawn breaks, a profound calm settles over the house. Peggy and Janet express their gratitude to the Warrens. A concluding text reveals that the Enfield haunting became one of history’s most infamous cases. Peggy Hodgson continued to reside in the house for forty years, passing away in the same chair where Bill Wilkins had once sat.
Back home, Ed places the Crooked Man turntable in his museum, beside Annabelle. A faint melody drifts from upstairs. Lorraine has put on "Can't Help Falling in Love With You." The two share a tender dance, a quiet moment of peace after their harrowing ordeal.
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