If horror is a dance with the unknown, The Conjuring 4: The Last Rites waltzes with menace in every step. This latest chapter in James Wan’s chilling universe is not merely a continuation—it is a reckoning, one that reminds us why the Warrens’ story has lingered in our nightmares for over a decade.

The Story: When Faith Meets Fear

Set against the haunted backdrop of a Romanian monastery, the film begins with an exorcism gone tragically wrong. Ed and Lorraine Warren, once again brought to life by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, confront their most formidable adversary yet: Valak, the demon nun whose return feels both inevitable and dreadful. This time, Valak is not alone. A secretive cult, ancient rites, and a relic dripping with blood conspire to plunge the Warrens into their darkest trial.

The Atmosphere: Shadows That Breathe

The hallmark of the Conjuring series has always been its atmosphere—a blend of silence, shadow, and sudden terror. Director Michael Chaves leans into that tradition. Doors slam with bone-rattling force. Shadows slither where no human stands. The monastery itself becomes a living character, groaning under centuries of whispered sins.

• Sound Design: Every creak, whisper, and gust of wind feels orchestrated to fray the nerves.
• Cinematography: Candlelit corridors bathe characters in halos of both holiness and horror.
• Practical Effects: Possessions and apparitions look disturbingly tangible, grounding the terror in reality.

The Performances: Anchored in Humanity

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga once again give performances that rise above the genre. Their Ed and Lorraine are not superheroes, but vulnerable, weary believers wrestling with faith as much as with demons. Farmiga, in particular, imbues Lorraine’s visions with a fragility that makes the horror cut deeper. When she trembles, so do we.

The Themes: A Last Prayer

What makes The Conjuring 4 resonate is not just its scares, but its meditation on belief. When crucifixes turn upside down and holy words falter, the film asks: what sustains us when faith itself seems under siege? It is here, in the interplay between faith and fear, that the movie finds its lasting power.

Final Verdict

The Conjuring 4: The Last Rites is not simply a horror film—it is an invocation. It knows that true fear lies not in jump scares, but in the suggestion that evil endures, waiting, patient and relentless. For longtime fans, it is a return to form. For newcomers, it is a baptism by fire into one of cinema’s most unnerving universes.

Should You Watch It?

• If you crave demonic horror rooted in atmosphere rather than gore, yes.
• If you’ve followed the Warrens’ journey, this is their most personal battle yet.
• If you think faith is unshakable—this film will test that belief.

Release Date: October 2025

Rating: ★★★★☆