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I was always going to see The Conjuring: Last Rites in theaters. Not because I was writing a review but because I’ve always been a big fan. Okay, mostly a big fan. The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 are genuinely incredible works of supernatural horror. My religious upbringing likely lends weight to the Warren’s stories and I’m a sucker for a good McGuffin (the puzzle box in Hell Raiser, the Necronomicon, etc.). We’ll get into whether or not the haunted mirror (the primary plot device of the film) is a good one or not in a sec.
The Conjuring: Last Rites is currently #12 on our list of 100 best movies to watch right now.
TL;DR Spoiler-Free Version
While The Conjuring: Last Rites was a fine send off for the Warrens it struggled to produce true tension or scares. There are a few good, jump-out-of-your-skin moments but the film is full of old gimmicks that you see from a mile away. Story-wise there’s a lot going on and no clear motivation or backstory with the main ghoul. The final death blow is anticlimactic and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in the Catholic faith-based world of the Warrens. Still, the film has some genuinely entertaining moments, even heartfelt ones that makes for a good ending to the Warren’s story. if you’re a fan of the series it’s worth seeing but maybe wait until it drops on HBO Max.
Spoilers Ahead
Our Story Begins
We open on the Warren’s first case in 1964. Ed and Lorraine (played by younger actors Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor) uncover a mysterious antique mirror in a curiosity shop. Lorraine touches it, triggering violent visions—and goes into premature labor. Their daughter Judy is still-born but prayed back to life by the Warrens (for a moment I thought I was watching a faith-based film). During all of this we get our first glimpse of the creepy demon guy clinging to the ceiling in a dark corner.
Now fast forward to the 1980’s and the Smurl family of West Pittston, PA. Grandpa comes across our creepy mirror and gives it to his granddaughter Heather Smurl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) for her birthday. That’s when all hell brakes loose (literally). This is where we start getting your typical jump scares but the tension never builds up enough to be truly terrifying, which was a disappointment. Still, some of the scares were good enough to put a smile on my face–the kind you get from a good roller coaster ride.
At the same time we find out that Ed (Patrick Wilson) has heart problems so the Warrens decide to stop taking cases. Judy, who gets engaged to future husband Tony (Ben Hardy), has psychic visions and encounters demonic entities on the regular, just like her mother, Lorraine (Vera Farmiga). Judy has a little rhyme that quiets the demonic spirits which is… interesting. Not a prayer or bible passage? Seems off brand but more on that later.
The Middle Gets Messy
From there, the story ping-pongs between the Warrens and the Smurls until they inevitably collide. And like most Conjuring films, we find out that the hauntings, consisting of a ghost family and a jilted, axe-wielding husband, are not what they seem: everything is being influenced by the demon in the mirror (or something). We later find out that the demon has “wanted” Judy (wanted her dead?) since she was in the womb when her pregnant mom touched the haunted mirror back in the 60’s. Again, it’s hard to peg what the actual motivation is for the demon and why it’s in that mirror. With most good horror films we have at least some backstory to anchor the plot but it stays pretty vague in “Last Rites”.
The Faith Problem
As we near the end of the film the mirror itself tries to crush the whole Warren clan. Ed tries to read scripture at it but the demon(s) in the mirror catch the Bible on fire. Then Judy remembers her little rhyme and simply says to the demon mirror, “you’re not there.” And just like that, the demon is defeated. Yup. You read that right. No incantations, no scripture reading or prayers. The basis of the whole franchise–the Catholic faith, God vs the Devil, good vs evil–apparently doesn’t matter anymore. It’s like that person you don’t like at Wednesday night book club: if you pretend like they’re not there maybe they’ll go away.
The Goodbye That Mostly Works
Still, the movie isn’t without heart. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga remain the soul of this franchise. The subplot involving their daughter Judy as an adult was a nice touch, though rushed with all the jumping back and forth. There’s a real sense that this is the last time we’ll see these characters on screen together, and the film leans into that.
Final Thoughts
So, is it worth it? If you’re like me and you’ve stuck with the series this long, you’re probably going to want to see how it ends. Just don’t expect the absolutely diabolical goodness that is The Conjuring or The Conjuring 2. It has its moments and it was nice to see the Warren family sail off into the sunset.
NerdScore
6.5/10
The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) Review
While The Conjuring: Last Rites was a fine send off for the Warrens it struggled to produce true tension and scares. There are a few good, jump-out-of-your-skin moments but the film is full of old gimmicks that you see from a mile away. Story-wise there’s a lot going on and no clear motivation or backstory with the main ghoul. The final death blow is anticlimactic and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in the Catholic faith-based world of the Warrens. Still, the film has some genuinely entertaining moments, even heartfelt ones that makes for a good ending to the Warren’s story. If you’re a fan of the series it’s worth seeing but maybe wait until it drops on HBO Max.
The third mainline sequel in the Conjuring saga, following Ed and Lorraine Warren in a final confrontation with a malevolent force.
IMDb
6.5/10
Metacritic
54/100
Rotten Tomatoes
56%
2 Comments
I by no means think these Conjuring movies are great or even good, but I do enjoy them for a lil’ spooky. This one felt like they were trying to set up a whole new series, but were actually ending it. It had way too much set-up, but when the spooky came, I enjoyed it. If people wanna watch at home, I’d definitely recommend fast forwarding through a lot of the beginning, especially the Warren family stuff, which was not interregnal to the plot at all.
There was a lot of set up, absolutely. The scenes that stick out in my mind are: the phone cable in the pantry, the still axe-wielding guy in the dark corner (before she turns on the light and nothings there – it’s been done many times but still fun), and the whole scene with the priest going to talk with the bishop (there was some decent creepy buildup there).