The demon doll is back but ideas are lacking in the latest instalment in the Conjuring franchise.
Well put together, but does nothing particularly new or exciting.
Toy Story with a twist, this is better than it had any right to be. Hardcore horror buffs may laugh and scoff at the mechanics of some of the scares; the rest may never be able to walk past the window of a toy shop without crossing themselves.
It’s the same old jump scares, the same old deafening audio stabs – the same old cliches and dull, lazy secondhand ideas.
The film is very effective in giving its audience the collywobbles, which is precisely what they want from a story like this. They know that they’re being strung along and grossly manipulated but that is part of the pleasure.
The screenplay is far from inspired and the story doesn’t make a great deal of sense but director David F Sandberg knows all the tricks and delivers enough jolts to ensure the horror franchise keeps making money.
Possessed dolls, hapless orphans, a spooky house… you know the drill, but you’ll still jump.
General release. Check local listings for show times.