Before the early screening of “The Conjuring: Last Rites” started, it was announced that this franchise is the highest-grossing horror movie franchise of all time. I already knew this, but hearing it again before watching the final installment made it even more impactful. The cinematic universe has clearly left a mark on horror fans around the world, myself included.
“The Conjuring” was one of the first horror movies I ever watched, and it still remains one of the best to date. What followed were more chapters in the universe exploring Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren’s (Vera Farmiga) real-life cases, along with several spinoffs focusing on some of the scariest supernatural forces they encountered, including “The Nun” and “Annabelle.”
Now, the final chapter arrives with “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” following a case in Pittsburgh connected to the Warren family. In fact, this is the investigation that “ended it all.”
As it's one of my favorite horror franchises, I naturally went into this final installment with high expectations. Maybe I should’ve tempered them, because I left “Last Rites” feeling a little empty, and I’m not sure if that’s because of the emotional final act (and knowing we won’t see the Warrens again) or the lack of the true fear I had been hoping for. Still, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” has a lot going for it as the closing chapter. Flaws and all, here’s my honest take on this saga-ender.
An emotional finale that tugs at heartstrings more than your spine
As with all the “Conjuring” movies, we start by seeing one of Ed and Lorraine’s past investigations, which end up being seemingly linked to the movie’s central case. This time, however, the couple is much younger, when Lorraine was pregnant with Judy in 1964.
They’re in an antique store investigating a haunting when Lorraine senses something off about a creepy-looking mirror, complete with baby faces molded at the top. When she touches it, she goes into labor. It’s an intense sequence from then on, perhaps one of the strongest in the entire movie.
In fact, the opening 10 minutes left me wishing for a prequel about the younger Warrens during their early days, and I’m genuinely surprised we haven’t seen more flashbacks like this one. Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor do a great job at portraying the pair.
Flash forward to 1986, and we’re thrown headfirst into the central (and final) case, meeting the unsuspecting family as they go about their daily lives before supernatural chaos strikes. In this installment, we meet the Smurl family in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. In real life, the Warrens investigated the house and reported that it was inhabited by four entities, including a powerful demon. Any guesses where the demon came from?
The answer: the creepy mirror, which is given to one of the Smurl daughters as a gift. Within five minutes of receiving it, the hauntings begin, and these instances get pretty violent.
“Last Rites” follows the same familiar format as the other movies, even opening with the on-screen text device that gives added context to the case and explains why this was the last investigation the Warrens ever conducted.
Given this is the final movie in the main saga, it’s natural to expect it to be impactful. And in many ways, it is. This installment leans more heavily into family drama than any of the others, with Judy (Mia Tomlinson) now grown up and navigating a new relationship with ex-cop Tony (Ben Hardy).
But her psychic abilities have only intensified, worrying Lorraine, who knows her daughter is seeing more evil than she admits. Naturally, the case at hand ties back to the Warrens in a personal way.
The family dynamic ends up being the movie’s strongest element, exploring just how much you’d endure for the ones you love. It hits plenty of emotional beats as Judy wrestles with the trauma of growing up surrounded by the supernatural, while Ed and Lorraine grow increasingly concerned. All of it builds toward an emotional final act that gives this horror movie a surprising amount of heart.
However, in many moments “Last Rites” trades scares for sentimentality. While it feels natural for this final chapter to lean into emotion, you’d also expect a genuinely frightening conclusion from a franchise that has delivered some of the best jump scares ever. Unfortunately, the only real fear comes in the first act.
The strongest chills take place inside the Smurl family’s home, before the Warrens are even aware of the case. Each family member has a moment alone where they encounter something horrific — a doll that moves (and floats) on its own, an axe-wielding figure, or a terrifying old woman peering through the bedposts.
These scenes had me sweating, but sadly they’re front-loaded. After that, the tension drags, and the movie struggles to balance being scary with being a family drama.
In fact, I was pretty gutted that we didn’t get to spend more time with the Smurl family once the Warrens arrived. It almost feels like their story gets pushed aside in favor of putting Judy in the spotlight.
“Last Rites” should’ve been the scariest of the saga, but instead, there’s such a heavy emphasis on family bonds that it ends up feeling more like a generic horror drama. That said, Wilson and Farmiga remain endlessly watchable, and Tomlinson does a great job of portraying genuine fear, along with the rest of the cast.
The horror feels recycled
One of the biggest issues I had with “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is that most of the scares feel recycled. Almost every frightening moment seemed like a variation of something I’d already seen in the earlier movies or spinoffs. Instead of feeling like a bold, fresh finale, it plays more like a patchwork of the franchise’s greatest hits.
I wanted to be scared. I wanted to be clutching my pearls and hiding behind my hands whenever it was quiet and the character was about to witness a supernatural event. But I only jumped twice, and one of those wasn’t even meant to be a scare. The movie leans into a darker, more twisted tone, but it never quite delivers the creative, nerve-shredding sequences this saga deserved to end on.
It’s certainly stronger than “The Devil Made Me Do It,” and longtime fans will appreciate the cameos and Easter eggs dotted throughout. The same goes for a scene in the final act that gives off major “Evil Dead” vibes. But overall, this feels like a highlight reel rather than a fresh horror experience.
Verdict: ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ is the most emotional chapter, not the scariest
As a finale, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” feels less like a fright-fest and more like a heartfelt farewell. Wilson and Farmiga remain the soul of this saga, grounding the supernatural chaos with warmth and sincerity, while Tomlinson adds fresh layers of vulnerability and fear.
It may not deliver the kind of white-knuckle terror that defined the original (which still reigns as the scariest and best of the bunch), but it succeeds in giving the Warrens and their story a proper send-off.
The emotional focus may divide horror fans craving one last round of nightmare-inducing sequences, yet it’s hard to deny that this chapter matters. “Last Rites” is an essential watch not because it will terrify you, but because it closes the book on a horror saga that’s left a lasting mark.
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is in theaters starting Friday, September 5.
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