The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

The demonic case that shocked America.

R
1h 51m

Directed by: Michael Chaves
Story: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Premiered: May 25, 2021
Language: English
Status: Released
Budget: $39,000,000.00
Revenue: $206,444,123.00
Country: United States of America

The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It

7.3/10 (6337 vote)

★★★★★★★★★★

Production: New Line Cinema
The Safran Company
Atomic Monster

Spoiler

In the quiet, picturesque town of Brookfield, Connecticut, a chilling darkness descends on July 18th, 1981. The renowned paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, portrayed with their signature blend of steely resolve and profound empathy by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, are summoned to a home gripped by an unspeakable evil. The Glatzel residence, a seemingly ordinary dwelling, has been violently ravaged by a demonic entity, its walls scarred with claw marks and its once-proud chandelier lying shattered on the floor. The family, including David Glatzel, the 8-year-old boy at the epicenter of this terror, his parents Carl and Judy (Paul Wilson and Charlene Amoia), his sister Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook), and Debbie’s boyfriend Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor), find themselves trapped in a nightmarish reality.

As the Warrens arrive, the scene is one of palpable dread. The air is thick with an unseen malevolence. The family’s ordeal escalates dramatically when a priest, Father Gordon (Steve Coulter), arrives to assist. Later, a terrifying cacophony erupts from David’s room, a desperate pounding that sends shivers down everyone’s spines. When they rush to his aid, David emerges from the shadows, his small frame contorted by an unholy force, and viciously stabs his father, Carl, in the leg. Ed, with remarkable bravery, restrains the possessed child while Lorraine and Father Gordon initiate an exorcism. The demon, however, is a formidable foe, wreaking further havoc on the house and twisting David’s body into grotesque, unnatural shapes. During the chaotic struggle, Lorraine experiences harrowing visions, glimpses of a dark, cult-like presence that hints at a deeper, more sinister conspiracy. The entity, wielding David’s body as its vessel, launches a direct assault on Ed, striking at his heart. In a moment of desperate heroism, Arne intervenes, confronting the demon within David and pleading with it to take him instead. Ed, witnessing this selfless act, is profoundly affected. The immediate crisis subsides, and David appears to be freed from the demonic grip. But the victory is bittersweet; Ed collapses, losing consciousness, and Lorraine rushes to his side, her heart heavy with a new kind of fear.

At the hospital, the gravity of Ed’s condition becomes clear. The doctor informs Lorraine that Ed is in a coma, requiring further tests before a definitive diagnosis can be made. Meanwhile, a disquieting unease begins to plague Arne. The next morning, he awakens with Debbie, suggesting they leave Brookfield, despite their financial constraints. Alone in the house, Arne is startled by what he perceives as movement – a cereal box shifting on its own, only to be dismissed as a rat. But the unsettling feeling persists. He then discovers a rotted hole in the wall, a portal to something far more disturbing. Suddenly, an apparition of an old woman (Eugenie Bondurant) materializes, her face contorted in a snarl as she lunges at him.

Back at the hospital, Lorraine finds solace in the company of Father Gordon, who visits her as she keeps vigil over Ed. She shares a poignant memory of her youth, recalling the romantic gazebo where she and Ed shared their first kiss, a stark contrast to the darkness that now surrounds them.

Arne’s torment intensifies at his job, where another terrifying apparition causes him to be sent home. He returns to find Debbie with their landlord, Bruno Sauls (Ronnie Gene Blevins). It is at this moment that Ed awakens, finding Lorraine and their daughter Judy (Sterling Jerins) by his side. He imparts a chilling revelation to Lorraine: the demon that possessed David has now taken root in Arne. Lorraine’s attempt to contact the Glatzel house is met with silence, the landlord’s loud music drowning out her calls. Growing increasingly concerned, Lorraine contacts the police, urging them to investigate the Glatzel residence. Arne, meanwhile, feels his grip on reality slipping. He witnesses what appears to be Bruno assaulting Debbie, and then sees Debbie seemingly fleeing, pursued by a monstrous entity that resembles Bruno. Later, a blood-soaked Arne is found wandering down the road by a police officer.

The grim reality of the situation is revealed: Arne has brutally stabbed Bruno to death 22 times. During interrogation, Ed and Lorraine stand by Arne and Debbie, with Debbie vehemently defending Arne, asserting that he could not have committed such a heinous act on his own. The Warrens, ever the champions of the innocent, work with Arne’s lawyer to build a defense based on demonic possession, aiming to prevent a death sentence. In court, Arne’s claim of demonic influence leads to his placement in a psychiatric ward.

The Warrens delve deeper into their recordings of David’s possession, uncovering crucial details. Their investigation reveals that the Glatzel family’s troubles began five months prior, shortly after they moved into their new home. David’s encounter with a waterbed in the cellar, where a demon allegedly broke through the mattress, marks the genesis of the haunting. Examining the Glatzel house, they discover a rug where the waterbed once stood, revealing rotting wood beneath – evidence of something far more sinister than water damage. Lorraine’s descent into the cellar unearths a witch’s totem, a disturbing artifact that leads the Warrens to suspect the involvement of a cult. They enlist the help of Drew (Shannon Kook) to aid in their increasingly complex investigation.

Following a suggestion from Father Gordon, the Warrens seek counsel from Kastner (John Noble), a former priest who once dismantled a cult known as the Disciples of the Ram. Upon seeing a photograph of the totem, Kastner recognizes it as the work of a satanist. He leads them to his basement, a chilling repository of mementos from the Ram cult. He recounts a harrowing tale of the prosecutor in their case, whose life was tragically shattered after convicting the cult members – his baby was born with a severe heart defect, and his wife later committed suicide.

In the sterile confines of the psych ward, Arne’s torment continues. While mopping the floor, he witnesses a fellow patient singing the song "Call Me" – the same song that was playing during Bruno’s murder – before being violently overcome by an unseen force and sedated.

A crucial breakthrough emerges when Drew contacts the Warrens with information from Sergeant Clay (Keith Arthur Bolden) in Danvers, Massachusetts. They learn of the disappearance of two teenage best friends, Jessica Strong (Ingrid Bisu) and Katie Lincoln (Andrea Andrade). Katie was found stabbed 22 times, and Jessica vanished without a trace. A totem identical to the one found at the Glatzel house was recovered at the crime scene. Sergeant Clay initially dismisses the Warrens’ involvement until Lorraine’s clairvoyant abilities, demonstrated before the assembled officers, command his respect.

Debbie and David visit Arne, who articulates his terrifying experiences. David, with his innate understanding of the supernatural, confirms that the same entity plaguing him is now tormenting Arne.

Sergeant Clay escorts the Warrens to the wooded area where the girls disappeared. Lorraine, guided by her visions, pinpoints the location where a possessed Jessica attacked Katie. The psychic connection is so intense that Lorraine momentarily reenacts the horrific act, requiring Ed to pull her away. Lorraine’s vision leads her to follow Katie’s spectral path to the edge of a cliff. A demonic hand attempts to drag Lorraine into the abyss, but Ed’s quick reflexes save her. Lorraine informs Ed and Clay that Jessica likely fell into the river. A recovery team’s subsequent search confirms her premonition, finding Jessica’s body.

Debbie calls the Warrens in a panic, revealing that the demon is attempting to drive Arne to commit suicide. As Ed instructs her to alert the staff to place Arne on suicide watch, a piercing screeching sound emanates from the phone. Simultaneously, Arne, in his cell, receives a vial of holy water. As visions overwhelm him, he draws a protective circle around himself.

In a daring move, Ed and Lorraine infiltrate a funeral home to locate Jessica’s body. Lorraine touches Jessica’s hand, entering a terrifying psychic space – a dark basement adorned with black candles and occult texts. There, she confronts the Occultist woman Arne had seen, who is attempting to possess Arne into ending his own life. Lorraine intervenes, and guards arrive, finding Arne. The Occultist, acknowledging Lorraine, animates a large corpse to attack. Ed pulls Lorraine away, severing the connection and stopping the animated corpse. However, Lorraine realizes the Occultist now knows their identities.

The Warrens reconvene with Debbie and Drew to consolidate their findings. They establish a chilling connection between the two murders: the Occultist provided totems to both Jessica and Arne, leading to their possessed states and the subsequent murders, followed by the perpetrators’ own demise. To break the curse, the altar upon which it was cast must be destroyed. Lorraine believes the Occultist must complete the curse for her own soul’s salvation. As Ed attempts to trace the connection between the victims, he succumbs to another blackout. Upon waking, the Occultist appears to him, issuing threats. The grotesque corpse attacks again, and Ed’s pursuit leads him to discover it was nearly attacking Lorraine. They realize the Occultist has orchestrated a trap, uncovering a totem hidden within a vase of decaying flowers.

Further investigation by Ed and Drew reveals that Jessica received her totem from Fairfield University, leading Ed to suspect the Occultist operates near the campus. Meanwhile, Lorraine seeks further assistance from Kastner. He reveals a devastating secret: his daughter, Isla, is the Occultist. His attempts to steer her away from the occult inadvertently drew her deeper into its embrace. Kastner informs Lorraine of a tunnel beneath the house, a childhood haunt of Isla’s, where the altar is likely hidden. Lorraine hears footsteps and realizes Isla is present. As Lorraine searches for the tunnel, Isla finds Kastner and tragically slits his throat.

Father Newman (Vince Pisani) is with Debbie at Arne’s side, sensing Isla’s malevolent presence. Just as Lorraine discovers the altar, Isla prepares to finalize the curse. Ed races to the house, seeking Lorraine, but Isla intercepts him, blowing powder into his face and possessing him. Ed, under Isla’s control, becomes a raging force, swinging a sledgehammer at Lorraine. Simultaneously, Arne’s possession spirals out of control, shattering the ward’s windows and breaking his restraints. He begins to float, grabbing a shard of glass with the intent to end his life, but Debbie intervenes, restraining his arm. Lorraine, through sheer force of will and love, breaks through to Ed, reminding him of their bond and asserting that their love, which Isla perceives as a weakness, is in fact their greatest strength. Ed breaks free of the possession and smashes the altar, releasing Arne from the demon’s grip. Isla attempts a final assault on the Warrens, but her demonic master intervenes, claiming her soul and dragging her to Hell, her body contorting in agonizing agony until she is reduced to a mere husk.

Ed places the altar chalice in the Warren museum, a chilling testament to their victory, with brief cameos from Annabelle and Valak. They then join Debbie at the courthouse for Arne’s trial. The text reveals that Arne was found guilty of manslaughter and served five years in prison. He married Debbie while incarcerated, and they remain together to this day.

The film concludes with Ed bringing Lorraine to a gazebo he constructed, a heartfelt tribute to the enduring strength of their love, a sanctuary built in memory of their shared past.