The Conjuring 4: Last Rites… well, we can HOPE this is the last one, but apparently they’re already working on a prequel. The real Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated over 10,000 cases of supernatural hocus pocus in their career, with the one in this film being their very last.
This follows on from the reasonable The Conjuring, the not as good The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case, but a reprieve for the pandemic-period-released The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It.
The film opens in 1964, with a whole load of weird shit happening around a mirror… before loads of weird shit happens elsewhere during the film, but somehow it gives Lorraine (Vera Farmiga – Godzilla: King Of The Monsters 3D) a shock, and since she’s pregnant, and fears for her baby…
Moving to 1986, and the ‘action’ shifts between the Smurl family, where daughter Heather (Kíla Lord Cassidy – Viewpoint) has completed her confirmation, and receiving as her present for this, a mirror… yep, that one.
We do get a passage of text coming up, though, telling us this is the case that would bring the Warrens’ career to an end, as if it’s going to come down on some huge, major shock… or will it just come across as some silly piece of CGI that makes no sense? What do you think?
Then again, Ed (Patrick Wilson – Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom IMAX 3D) has heart problems and is thinking of retiring, but there’s still time for some niceness, as their daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson – The Beast Must Die), is about to marry Ian Beale’s son from Eastenders, although here, Ben Hardy is called Tony.
The Conjuring 4: Last Rites brings us an interview clip with the Warrens on set with a de-aged Larry King, unless they were spliced into an original piece of footage, and songs of the era include The Cult’s She Sells Sanctuary, Howard Jones’ Things Can Only Get Better and David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, which are from 1985, 1985 and 1983, respectively… so, none from 1986.
And as this final film plays out over 135 minutes, this laughable nonsense is easily way too long and drawn out, plus there’s things that go bump in the daytime.
Well, ‘final film’ until the eventual prequel, as I mentioned. After all, this fourth movie only cost $55m to make, and so far has recouped almost $200m worldwide, so it’s a shoe-in for further installments. I’ll suffer so you don’t have to.
Oh, and although this is set in the USA, Heather’s grandad is Hot Fuzz‘s pub landlord Roy Porter, aka Peter Wight!
NOTE: There’s both a post-credit scene, and something during the credits. Check out the video below for the info!
The Conjuring 4: Last Rites is in cinemas now, and is available to pre-order on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 135 minutes
Release date: September 5th 2025
Studio: Warner Bros
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (ARRIRAW (4.6K), Anamorphic Panavision)
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 2/10
Director: Michael Chaves
Producers: Peter Safran, James Wan
Screenplay: Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Music: Benjamin Wallfisch
Cast:
Ed Warren: Patrick Wilson
Lorraine Warren: Vera Farmiga
Judy: Mia Tomlinson
Tony Spera: Ben Hardy
Dawn Smurl: Beau Gadsdon
Cindy Perron: Mackenzie Foy
Heather Smurl: Kíla Lord Cassidy
Janet Hodgson: Madison Wolfe
Peggy Hodgson: Frances O’Connor
Jack Smurl: Elliot Cowan
Janet Smurl: Rebecca Calder
Brad Hamilton: John Brotherton
Young Lorraine Warren: Madison Lawlor
Young Ed Warren: Orion Smith
Drew Thomas: Shannon Kook
Abner: Leigh Jones
Father Gordon: Steve Coulter
Grandma Smurl: Kate Fahy
Grandpa Smurl: Peter Wight
Shannon Smurl: Molly Cartwright
ki
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.