The Conjuring 2 Is Still the Best in the Franchise, Even After Last Rites

The Conjuring 2 stands out as the pinnacle of the franchise, a high-water mark for story, character development, and fear that remains unmatched by later installments. Even as The Conjuring: Last Rites marks the fourth and final chapter in the saga of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the film that continues to define the franchise’s peak is The Conjuring 2. Directed by James Wan, this chilling sequel takes the Warrens to London in 1977 to confront the Enfield poltergeist, weaving a narrative that feels at once expansive and self-contained. Across its brisk runtime and meticulous craft, The Conjuring 2 manages to rise above its predecessors in several key dimensions, delivering a cohesive story, richer emotional stakes, and a sharper sense of dread that lingers long after the credits roll. This analysis revisits why The Conjuring 2 remains the franchise’s most effective and memorable entry, and how its foundation in character, terror, and myth helps it endure as a benchmark for modern supernatural cinema.

The Conjuring 2: A stronger, more self-contained storyline

The first Conjuring film introduces audiences to the Warrens and the Perron family, laying a solid character groundwork while simultaneously laying the groundwork for future installments and spinoffs. While that film succeeds in its own right, it must do double duty: establish the protagonists and set up the broader Conjuring universe, which inevitably tethers it to both its immediate narrative goals and the franchise’s long-range ambitions. The Conjuring 2 takes a different route. It crafts a story that feels purposefully self-contained within its own boundaries, even as it threads in connections to ongoing concerns from the franchise’s broader tapestry. In doing so, it offers a complete arc that completes some lingering threads from the original while resisting the urge to overextend into additional sequels and spin-offs.

One of the most notable strengths of The Conjuring 2 is its capacity to wrap up multiple plot strands without feeling like the film is simply closing doors for future entries. The Amityville investigation—an event that loomed large in the first film—receives a more defined, conclusive treatment in the sequel. This closure contributes to a tighter overall narrative, reducing the sense of loose ends and thereby heightening the sense of narrative momentum. Equally important is the film’s handling of Valak, the ominous demon introduced in the original, whose first encounter with Lorraine evolves into a deeper, more personally serious confrontation for the Warrens. The way these elements are reconciled—without sacrificing atmosphere or character depth—demonstrates a matured storytelling approach that benefits from Wan’s precise pacing and tonal control.

Crucially, The Conjuring 2 balances the Warrens’ professional crisis with the Hodgson family’s own crisis, giving both sides equal weight and purpose. The Hodgsons’ struggles with the invisible and the inexplicable are not mere plot devices; they serve to illuminate Ed and Lorraine’s core beliefs and their willingness to act in the face of danger. This balance—between the Warrens’ investigations and the living emotional stakes of the people they’re trying to protect—creates a more integrated narrative. The result is a film that feels less like a sequence of haunting set pieces and more like a collaborative case study in courage, faith, and the unpredictable consequences of confronting malevolent forces. Such a structure makes the plot feel larger without losing the intimate focus on those most directly affected by the haunting.

The Enfield case itself becomes a compelling stage for character development, not just a backdrop for scares. Janet Hodgson’s arc—her reluctant, nuanced choice to drive away the Warrens in order to protect her family—adds a darker, more morally complex dimension to the story. It is not merely about possession or spectral aggression; it is about the moral weight of intervention, the limits of what guardians can and should do, and the way fear can redefine trust within a family. This development, anchored in the emotional lives and decisions of the people involved, gives The Conjuring 2 a sturdier emotional spine than the original. It transforms a terrifying event into a human drama in which the consequences of supernatural interference ripple through relationships and futures. The concluding aftermath, while still steeped in horror, carries a sense of earned consequence that reinforces the film’s overall coherence.

In exploring the balance of storylines, the movie does not simply juggle multiple plots for effect. Instead, it uses these threads to articulate a broader theme about how terror can reveal the best and worst in people. The Warrens’ relentless pursuit of truth collides with the Hodgsons’ need for security and normalcy, and this tension becomes a catalysts for the Warrens’ own internal evolution. The result is a narrative that feels less episodic and more cumulative, where each scene—whether a quiet conversation with a frightened mother or a chilling manifestation in the Hodgsons’ home—contributes to a larger narrative purpose. The Conjuring 2 thus stands as a more tightly engineered story, one in which the individual shocks are balanced by a coherent progression of character arcs and thematic resonance.

The ending of The Conjuring 2 reinforces its status as a closing chapter for certain storylines while leaving the door open for the franchise’s ongoing mythos. Although some viewers may wonder if the film could stand in isolation as a definitive finish, its careful coda completes the immediate arc without erasing the possibility of future encounters with Valak or other manifestations within the Warrens’ world. The balance of resolution and continuity is delicate, yet the film negotiates it with the kind of craft that not only satisfies in the moment but also preserves the franchise’s long-term potential. The Conjuring 2 thus emerges not simply as a successful sequel but as a model of how to expand a horror franchise without compromising its core identity.

The ability to wrap up major threads while preserving future possibilities is a hallmark of effective franchise storytelling, and The Conjuring 2 demonstrates this capability with confidence. By foregrounding a more self-contained narrative and resolving central mysteries in a way that feels satisfying yet not exhausted, the film sets a standard for what a sequenced horror story can accomplish when driven by strong character work and purposeful plotting. This approach allows the film to be enjoyed on its own terms, even as it contributes to a larger, evolving cinematic universe. The Conjuring 2’s narrative design, therefore, deserves recognition not just for delivering scares, but for shaping the franchise’s trajectory through a well-constructed, emotionally intelligent, and thematically consistent story.

The Conjuring 2: Superior scares and cinematic craft

One of The Conjuring 2’s most enduring strengths is its inventive, varied approach to fear, which contrasts with the more singular scare motifs of earlier entries. The film’s scare language expands beyond jump-scares into a spectrum of unsettling images, psychological unease, and carefully choreographed set pieces that leverage both atmosphere and character psychology. The result is a sequence of fright that feels both surprising and earned, built upon a foundation of patient build-up and precise cinematic craft. This approach speaks to Wan’s directorial finesse, which fuses practical effects, atmospheric sound design, and deliberate pacing to create a fear quotient that resonates on multiple levels.

Key moments illustrate the film’s range of scares: a startling reveal that redefines what the audience thinks they are watching; a creeping transformation that unsettles from the periphery; and a malevolent force that attacks through a seemingly mundane object, such as a painting, heightening the uncanny sense that danger could appear anywhere. The Crooked Man sequence, with its unnerving silhouette and unexpected escalation, remains a standout example of how to translate folklore-inspired imagery into effective cinematic suspense. Janet’s slow, almost imperceptible transformation into Bill Wilkins’s haunted presence—seen through out-of-focus cues rather than overt, graphic horror—demonstrates a sophisticated use of focus, misdirection, and timing to deliver fear that lingers without resorting to gratuitous spectacle.

The film also revisits established scares with renewed energy, showing how a familiar tool can be reimagined to feel fresh. Bathsheba’s appearance, perched atop a cabinet, is not merely a visual jolt; it is a culmination of the film’s mood—an ironclad representation of how quiet dread can be more chilling than loud, sudden shocks. The painting sequence, wherein Valak’s threat manipulates Ed through his own perception, offers a meta-level scare that blurs the line between the supernatural and the protagonist’s subjective reality. These moments, when placed in concert with more conventional jump scares, create a kaleidoscopic fear experience that remains coherent within the film’s larger emotional and narrative framework.

Crucially, The Conjuring 2 does not rely solely on gimmicks to sustain terror. It anchors its horror in the Warrens’ own emotional economy, using supernatural events to reveal the core of their relationship: a shared sense of responsibility, a deep faith in their mission, and a willingness to risk their own safety for others. The film’s scares are thus integrated into character arcs rather than tacked onto the story as isolated shocks. This synthesis makes the fear more meaningful. When a ghostly visitation aligns with a moral choice—say, a moment where Lorraine must confront a vision that implicates her faith in a larger cosmic battle—the dread becomes part of a larger ethical tension, not just a momentary fright. The result is a horror experience that feels richer, more textured, and more personally impactful than many contemporary entries in the genre.

From a technical perspective, The Conjuring 2 showcases Wan’s flair for staging and pacing. The film’s production design—its period London setting, its practical effects, and its subtle lighting choices—works in concert with the sound design to produce a palpable sense of cold, claustrophobic menace. The pacing—alternating between tight, anxiety-driven sequences and slower, more contemplative beats—keeps tension high while giving the audience a moment to breathe and recalibrate before the next wave of dread. This rhythm is essential in maintaining momentum over the film’s extended runtime, ensuring that the scares land with impact rather than becoming predictable or repetitive. The result is a cinematic experience that feels crafted with intention, where every frame serves a purpose in advancing mood, character, or plot.

The Conjuring 2’s approach to suspense also benefits from a careful balance between intimate dread and larger, more spectral menace. By juxtaposing domestic, family-centered stakes with otherworldly danger, the film cultivates a sense of scale that makes the terror feel both personal and universal. This dual focus allows the audience to invest emotionally in the Hodgson family while still being pulled into the Warrens’ ongoing battle against powerful, femalevolent forces. The synergy between intimate and cosmic terror is a hallmark of the film’s craft, and it is a major reason why The Conjuring 2 remains a standout in the franchise’s canon for both fans and newcomers alike.

The culmination of these elements—the cohesive storytelling, the sophisticated scares, and the resonant antagonists—solidifies The Conjuring 2’s standing as a pinnacle of horror craftsmanship within the franchise. The film demonstrates that fear can be both conceptually ambitious and emotionally grounded, a combination that elevates the material beyond simple fright into something more enduring and memorable. The Conjuring 2 thus earns its place as a model for how to execute a blockbuster horror sequel: a story that respects its source material, a mood that lingers, and a cinematic language that continues to influence the genre long after the final curtain.

The Conjuring 2: Villains that defined the franchise

A central factor in The Conjuring 2’s enduring impact lies in its handling of villains, particularly the evolution of Valak and the introduction of Bill Wilkins as a layered antagonist whose power extends beyond mere malevolence. In the wake of earlier entries, where antagonists could feel one-dimensional or purely punitive, The Conjuring 2 offers a more nuanced exploration of evil, one that emphasizes the demonic, supernatural backbone of the Conjuring universe while also foregrounding a human-like complexity within its ghostly figures. This dual approach deepens the film’s psychological resonance and strengthens its thematic core.

Valak, often described as the demon behind the haunting, emerges as one of the franchise’s most iconic villains, in part due to its unsettling, pale nun visage and its ability to project fear directly into the psyches of the Warrens and their subjects. The character’s influence extends beyond physical manifestations; Valak’s impact is felt in Lorraine’s visions and in the broader sense of spiritual threat that pervades the Hodgson home. Valak’s presence invites viewers to consider questions of faith, doubt, and the moral testing that comes with confronting a foe that seemingly transcends ordinary evil. This demon’s depictions are designed to push the protagonists to their limits, forcing them to draw on every ounce of their training, conviction, and emotional resilience in order to resist being broken by fear.

Bill Wilkins, meanwhile, plays a different, though equally essential, role in the story’s architecture. He initially presents as the malevolent, persistent spirit haunting the Hodgsons’ residence, a figure whose fearsome aura anchors many of the film’s most nerve-wracking sequences. Yet as the narrative unfolds, Wilkins is revealed to be a pawn manipulated by Valak, a puppet that embodies the demon’s larger strategy of corruption and control. This twist adds a compelling layer of complexity to the film’s antagonistic framework, transforming Wilkins from a straightforward villain into a crucial piece of a larger, more insidious game. The idea that Wilkins’s malevolence is a vehicle for Valak’s broader assault on the family and the Warrens underscores a recurring theme in the franchise: the most terrifying foes are often not merely evil in themselves, but instruments of a more expansive and strategic threat to faith, family, and protection.

The Conjuring 2 also reframes the dynamic of villainy within the franchise by elevating Valak’s role to an almost mythic scale—an overarching antagonist who embodies a cosmic battle against divine order. The demon’s campaign against the Warrens and those under their care resonates with a sense of existential conflict that makes the clash feel larger than any single haunting. This interpretation introduces a sense of mythic stakes—an ongoing war between good and evil—that has continued to inform subsequent iterations of the series and its related spinoffs. It also deepens Lorraine Warren’s personal conflict as she confronts visions and threats that probe not only her professional abilities but her beliefs about life, death, and the afterlife. The menace of Valak, therefore, becomes not just a plot engine but a symbol of the franchise’s enduring preoccupation with faith, doubt, and the resilience of human conscience in the face of darkness.

In the broader arc of the Conjuring universe, Valak’s formidable presence helps justify the creation of spin-offs, as the demon’s influence and lore offer fertile ground for exploring alternate stories and perspectives within the same mythos. The film’s portrayal of Valak as the principal antagonist—paired with Wilkins’s more intimate, humanized threat—serves to diversify the franchise’s horror palette while maintaining a consistent tonal and thematic throughline. The juxtaposition of a grand, demonic force with a more intimate, haunting figure demonstrates how the Conjuring films can sustain tension across different scales of horror, from the spectral to the existential. This balance is a key factor in why The Conjuring 2 remains a touchstone for its fans: it captures the franchise’s core fascination with fear, faith, and the enduring power of protective love in the face of overwhelming darkness.

In sum, the villain work in The Conjuring 2 is not merely about scary moments; it is an integral component of the film’s narrative sophistication and emotional depth. Valak’s emblematic presence and Wilkins’s role as a conduit for that demon’s influence together construct a layered confrontation that elevates the stakes for the Warrens and the families they strive to defend. The result is a villain dynamic that stands out within the franchise for its psychological complexity, mythic resonance, and lasting impact on the series’ broader mythos. It is no accident that Valak has become a defining image of the Conjuring universe and a touchstone for how modern horror can combine supernatural fear with meaningful character-driven storytelling.

The Conjuring 2: A lasting legacy and franchise momentum

The Conjuring 2 fundamentally shaped the franchise’s trajectory by showcasing how a horror series can grow more ambitious without losing its core identity. The film’s emphasis on character devotion, moral complexity, and carefully calibrated scares set a high standard for subsequent entries and associated properties. It demonstrated that a horror sequel could expand its universe while preserving the intimate, human-centered core that made the original so resonant. The Enfield case provided a potent narrative laboratory for exploring the Warrens’ ethics and the emotional consequences of their work, while the Hodgson family’s struggle offered a canvas for examining fear as a family crisis rather than a purely supernatural phenomenon. This dual focus not only enriched the film’s texture but also reinforced the franchise’s capacity to address larger themes—namely, the tension between faith and doubt, the ethical weight of intervention, and the resilience required to protect the innocent.

Another key aspect of The Conjuring 2’s legacy lies in its capacity to balance franchise-building with standalone impact. While the film contributes to a larger shared universe, it simultaneously offers a complete, emotionally anchored experience that can be appreciated by viewers who come to the series late or who simply want a stand-alone horror event. The film’s ending—ambiguous enough to invite reflection, decisive enough to feel earned—encourages continued engagement with the Warrens’ world without forcing a hurried commitment to future installments. This balance between the connected and the solitary is an essential feature of effective franchise cinema, and The Conjuring 2 delivers it with undeniable skill.

The film’s influence also extends to its reputational impact on the horror genre as a whole. The Conjuring 2 demonstrates that horror can achieve major mainstream resonance through a combination of craftsmanship, emotional truth, and strategic storytelling. It shows that audiences respond to horror when it is anchored in recognizable human concerns—family, protection, faith, and moral responsibility—while still offering the thrilling, otherworldly experiences that define the genre. Wan’s distinctive directorial voice—his talent for atmosphere, timing, and practical effects—continues to inspire filmmakers seeking to blend traditional haunt aesthetics with modern cinematic craft. The film’s success helped solidify the Conjuring universe as a durable source of terror that remains relevant across different audiences and generations, ensuring its place in conversations about the most influential horror franchises of the era.

From a franchise-management perspective, The Conjuring 2 illustrates how a shared world can evolve through careful threading of continuity, character development, and thematic consistency. By avoiding heavy-handed exposition and instead letting established characters and recurring motifs carry the narrative, the film offers a model for how to expand a supernatural universe without diluting its emotional core. The result is a cinematic enterprise that remains coherent across installments while still inviting fresh interpretations through new stories and spinoffs. This approach has contributed to the franchise’s enduring appeal and has helped maintain strong audience interest, ensuring that The Conjuring 2’s influence endures long after its initial release.

In closing, The Conjuring 2’s lasting legacy rests on its threefold achievement: a stronger, more self-contained story; a richer, more varied approach to scares; and a nuanced villain dynamic that deepens the franchise’s mythic framework. Taken together, these elements create a film that not only stands tall within the Conjuring canon but also pushes the boundaries of what a horror sequel can accomplish. The movie’s balanced integration of character-driven drama, psychological suspense, and mythic menace continues to shape fandom discussions and critical assessments alike, securing its status as a benchmark for the franchise and a landmark in contemporary horror cinema.

Conclusion

The Conjuring 2 remains the franchise’s most potent and influential entry, surpassing its predecessors in several essential respects. Its story is more cohesive and self-contained, weaving together the Enfield case, the Warrens’ evolving dynamic, and the Amityville history into a unified arc that feels complete while still leaving room for future exploration. The film’s scares are more varied and inventive, underpinned by James Wan’s masterful craftsmanship that blends practical effects, sound design, and cinematic timing to deliver tension that lingers. Its antagonists, particularly Valak and Bill Wilkins, represent a sophisticated duality of demonic and human threats that deepen the franchise’s mythos and elevate the emotional stakes for the Warrens and the families they protect.

Moreover, The Conjuring 2’s legacy extends beyond its own runtime. It set a standard for how a horror sequel can elevate both character and theme without sacrificing fear, and it reinforced the franchise’s ability to maintain momentum through a careful balance of continuity and standalone appeal. The film’s emphasis on faith, family, and protective courage resonates with audiences, offering a rich, multi-layered horror experience that remains compelling years after its release. As a result, The Conjuring 2 continues to define what the Conjuring universe can achieve when it commits to a thoughtful, fear-forward storytelling approach that honors its characters, its ghosts, and the moral questions at its heart.