‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ is a curious hybrid: part supernatural horror, part slice-of-life drama. Set in 1986 Pennsylvania, it unfolds at a slower, more introspective pace than earlier entries in the series. At its heart is the love story between Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as Lorraine and Ed Warren, whose bond provides the emotional anchor even when the narrative veers into the hokier corners of horror.

The film functions partly as an origin story, tracing how the Warrens first became entangled with the supernatural. Through flashbacks to 1964, we see mysterious events surrounding the birth of their daughter, connected to an evil mirror that seems to follow the family across decades. Twenty years later, as their daughter approaches marriage, the mirror resurfaces and forces them to confront its lingering curse.

For much of the runtime, the Warrens’ story runs in parallel with that of the Smurl family, whose haunted home is plagued by possession. Eventually the two threads dovetail in a climactic confrontation, eerie if a little predictable. There are shades of the ‘Final Destination’ films in the way the characters are unable to escape their fates, and the demon within the mirror bides its time, waiting for the inevitable reckoning.

The film makes strong use of its period setting: low-resolution videotapes capture flickering horrors in scenes reminiscent of ‘The Ring’, with paused footage revealing glimpses of the evil lurking within. There’s also an intergenerational thread, as family members unite to outwit the demon – recalling 2017’s ‘It’, in which children confront their tormentor by recognising its weaknesses. A nod to ‘Ghostbusters’ even slips in, with the Warrens facing scepticism from a younger generation who dismiss their work, only for the pair to prove once more that their talents are indispensable.

What distinguishes ‘Last Rites’ is its pacing. Rather than rushing from one jump scare to the next, it builds tension deliberately, layering dread within dimly lit rooms and shadowy interiors. Everything is cast in a brownish hue, which may not be visually dynamic but lends the film a consistent, oppressive atmosphere.

It may not reinvent the franchise, but ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ succeeds in blending its ingredients – horror, nostalgia, and family drama – into a film that is spooky, atmospheric, and surprisingly tender at its core.