Image Credit: The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)

*Contains mild spoilers*

After twelve years of terrifying installments and spinoffs in ‘The Conjuring Universe’, everyone’s favourite paranormal investigators are back for the fourth and final time in The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025). Inspired by the real-life ‘Smurl Haunting’ between 1974 and 1989, the film follows the Warrens to West Pittson, Pennsylvania. In their “most terrifying case yet”, Ed and Lorraine face not one, but three spirits and finally confront the malevolent entity that latched onto their daughter Judy upon her birth.

As predicted, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga deliver standout performances as Ed and Lorraine. Their on-screen chemistry is utterly compelling and after years of investing in the franchise, I found myself getting emotional at the prospect of saying goodbye to these two ghost-busting lovebirds. The heart of The Conjuring films have always been the Warrens and the love they share, which Last Rites’ romantic concluding sequence beautifully captures. For a film that was heavily marketed as the most horrifying entry in the series, it sure left me feeling more warm and sappy than fearful.

Mia Tomlinson is a welcome new addition to the cast as Judy Warren, though I do think the film’s central focus on her character came at the expense of the horror elements. The Smurls, despite the alleged demonic haunting they faced in reality, are blatantly sidelined in their own movie. Although the sequences in their home showcase some spinechilling jumpscares and gory moments, much of the storyline feels rushed. The family goes from mildly frightened to outright hysterical within minutes, with many of the harrowing encounters they describe taking place off screen. Only Jack Smurl, their father, has a role to play in the film’s thrilling climax, with the rest of them left with little to do. 

As is always the case with The Conjuring films, the ghosts and demons the Warrens encounter in Last Rites are painfully underdeveloped. Three new spirits are introduced to audiences but with the exception of an axe-wielding fiend that chases Lorraine, they are given minimal screentime beyond cheap jumpscares. The primary paranormal entity, described by the Warrens as the controller of the ghostly trio terrorising the Smurls, is annoyingly hidden from view for the film’s entirety. In addition to these elusive apparitions, the infamous haunted doll ‘Annabelle’ is featured yet again for no particular purpose. As far as I’m concerned, she’s overstayed her welcome in The Conjuring Universe for way too long now! 

That said, this film certainly had some scary moments. The dress shop changing room scene was one of the most panic-inducing moments in the franchise, and one particular jumpscare left me paralysed in fright for a solid five minutes. In typical Conjuring fashion, Last Rites relies on a subversive and slow-burn plot structure to amp up the tension and render jumpscares all the more shocking. Some may say these films are a little formulaic, but it’s a formula that undoubtedly works. 

Overall, in spite of its flaws and rather obvious set up for a Judy-centric spin off, I felt Last Rites was a well earned and sentimental send off for the Warrens. If you haven’t watched all of the films in the franchise, some moments may be a little confusing, so I’d recommend catching up on everything in The Conjuring Universe before embarking on this final paranormal adventure.