TheReviewMonk is back — critic reviews for Indian cinema, aggregated. Read our story →

TheReviewMonk
The Conjuring 2 backdrop

The Conjuring 2

10 June 2016English2hPart 2 of The Conjuring series
Horror
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 8 scored reviews · 3 not rated

Wan's scares land, but thin storytelling keeps this sequel from truly haunting.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Effective scares and tension
  • Criticised: Weak narrative and emotional core

Audience

User score 6.4 out of 10 from 5 ratings, Mixed
Read 3 audience reviews ↓
WhatsApp

Top cast

Full cast & crew

Critic consensus

What 11 critics are saying

Critical reception for The Conjuring 2 is mixed, leaning moderately positive, with most reviewers acknowledging James Wan's ability to generate tension and deliver effective scares. Several critics praised the film's craft and its capacity to frighten audiences, with some calling it a worthy sequel and a strong entry in the horror genre. However, a recurring criticism is that the film leans too heavily on jump scares and lacks a convincing emotional or narrative core, with some noting forgettable stretches and an unsatisfying handling of certain story elements. A few critics explicitly cautioned against comparing it to the original, suggesting the sequel does not fully measure up.

How the 8 scores spread

3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 11 critic reviews · may contain errors

Report inaccuracy

From the papers

Critic reviews (11)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    That nun/nut keeps popping up at various times, and The Conjuring 2 does an unsatisfying work of tying it up with the rest of the story.

  2. Top critic

    Firstpost

    Film review ·

    The film attempts to compensate for its clichéd elements by telling the audience that it is based on real life incidents, but this marketing gimmick has been stale for quite a while now.

  3. India Today

    Film review ·

    From the perspective of craft, The Conjuring 2 is a good, well-written-and-directed, classic entertainer. If you are looking for cheap thrills, you might want to skip this. But if you are in for a good movie-watching experience and wouldn't mind a few chills, go for it.

  4. Bollywood Hungama

    Film review ·

    THE CONJURING 2 is one of the best horror films to come out and a very worthy sequel to the first part. The film with its chills and thrills definitely makes it a worthy big screen experience. Must watch!

  5. CatchNews

    Film review ·

    There's a lot crammed into 134 minutes and not everything works perfectly. But is it scary? Hell, yes it is! Hopefully, this will not be the last we see of the Warrens at work.

  6. Bollywood Life

    Film review ·

    If you love horror movies, don't wait and watch the film right away, it is definitely better than the half the ghost films out there. But don't go with high expectations, thinking that it will surpass or equal The Conjuring or you will be disappointed.

  7. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    You don't particularly buy the human drama at the center of this film but Wan doesn't let you ponder over the flaws. He keeps the mood tense, the jumps frequent and the ambience unnerving. Even with its glitches, The Conjuring 2 gets one thing right; it scares the hell out of you.

  8. Zee News

    Film review ·

    Overall, "The Conjuring 2" is a well made film, but lacks the scare factor.

  9. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    As with most horror, The Conjuring 2 is also very participatory. Those looking for a good time will probably convince themselves that a few scenes are scarier than they really are. It'll play well at midnight screenings, horror movie marathons, and other situations where there is no option but to have a great time. But something tells me that its appeal will be restricted to only the most hardcore fans of the first film. Without an emotional core to latch on to, everyone else will probably be left underwhelmed.

  10. BookMyShow

    Film review ·

    Do not expect an intelligent story or a breakthrough performance. Simply watch this movie if you enjoy the rush of being scared out of your wits.

  11. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    Though there's a twist at the end concerning the identity of the demon, the film is bogged down by large unmemorable portions that hardly make you sit up. The Conjuring may have gotten away with its over-reliance on jump scares, but the sequel gets exposed. It doesn't take long before you realise that the film needed to be much more than just another case from the Warren stable.

From our readers

Audience reviews (3)

5 ratings · user score 6.4

  2. devJun 2016
    7/10

    Conjuring 2- again from the same director James Wan is a ambitious and entertaining horror movie, that stirs your body upside down from terror, right to the face horror coming from all the directions, what is better than the previous movie is it is more ambitious and when there is ambition, there is flaws, the main flaw is genuine feel to it, it felt less real than the first one and lot of happening going on in the movie which make it a little exhausted, the cinematography is amazing as the first one, background music is good too and it felt like rushed where as the first one feels really good and more real and short on story and has more genuine feel to it.

    Report
  3. Pranay JalviNov 2016
    8/10

    'The Conjuring 2' is a perfect example of what more sequels should be. It is a perfectly executed horror sequel and Director James Wan effectively explores themes of vision,belief and faith. The family drama is very effective and Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are efficient in their roles. The film doesn't provide anything new in horror genre, but its set pieces are often impressive even though it rely on jump scares. 'The Conjuring 2' has good story & suspense to have appeal on all kinds of horror fans. Unlike Sinister 2, it sticks to the basics and efficiently delivers a solid horror film. I give 4/5 for this efficiently made horror sequel by James Wan.

    Report

Credits

Cast & crew

Cast

Director

Cinematography

You may also like

English films like The Conjuring 2

TMDB

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.