[HorrorScience] The Conjuring 4: Last Rites – The Supernatural Terror Closes Its Cycle with the Warrens

The Conjuring 4: Last Rites (The Conjuring: Last Rites, 2025) closes the main cycle of the saga with an installment that delves into the legacy of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.

Directed by Michael Chaves, this fourth film in the main franchise is based on the true case of the Smurls, an episode of possessions and evil entities that plagued a family in Pennsylvania during the 1980s. Also set in the 1980s, the story maintains the series' hallmark of supernatural horror, fusing elements of psychological horror with visceral scares, while exploring the personal cost that the Warrens pay for their dedication to the inexplicable. As a closing phase for the Conjuring universe, the film balances nostalgia for previous installments with a focus on emotional closure, without relying on spectacular twists to maintain tension.

A House Marked by Evil

The plot ofThe Conjuring 4centers on Ed and Lorraine Warren, who receive a case that seems routine at first: a family tormented by unexplained phenomena in their home, including the typical: unexplained noises, objects that move on their own, and presences that lurk in the shadows of the night. This investigation introduces the Warrens into a labyrinth of mysterious entities that defy even their accumulated experience. The Smurl family, made up of parents and several children, lives in a modest house where the horror begins in subtle ways: a mirror that seems to reflect more than it should, whispers that mix with the wind, and a growing sensation that something old and resentful has awakened.

From the first minutes, the film establishes a rhythm that alternates between the oppressive daily life of family life and flashes of the supernatural. Ed, with his pragmatism and physical courage, handles the direct confrontations, while Lorraine, with her clairvoyance, navigates visions that connect her to the house's traumatic past. The narrative spends significant time on the Warrens' marital dynamics, showing how their marriage grows stronger in the face of adversity, but also how the weight of decades of cases has marked them emotionally. The children of the Smurl family add layers of vulnerability: a teenager who suffers the most from the events, a father who is skeptical (or who wants to pretend to be) and younger children who instinctively perceive evil.

Terror Escalates in the Dark

As the research progresses, the phenomena escalate in intensity. Fleeting apparitions in the hallways, poltergeists that throw furniture with contained fury, and clairvoyance sessions that drag Lorraine into foreign memories of violence and loss. The Smurl house becomes a character in itself, with its creaking walls and dank basement evoking the somewhat rural isolation of the era. The Warrens consult with colleagues and perform preliminary rituals, but soon realize that this entity is not an isolated demon, but part of a darker web linked to sins of the human past.

This initial section of the film, which occupies approximately the first hour, builds an atmosphere of constant horror, where the horror not only resides in thejumpscares—scarce but effective—, but in the gradual erosion of the sanity and faith of those involved. The connection to previous cases in the franchise feels organic: subtle references to artifacts such as the Annabelle doll or echoes of the nun Valak enrich the lore without overloading the plot. The Warrens, now aged by years of spiritual battles, face not only the external, but their own limits: Ed grapples with doubts about his protective role, and Lorraine with visions that force her to confront personal losses.

From the Real Case to the Cinematographic Universe

As an adaptation of the Smurl case, the film remains faithful to the actual events documented by the Warrens, but dramatizes them for the cinema, emphasizing the emotional aspect over strict chronology. in the book The Haunted by Gerald Brittle, who inspired the saga, the Smurl case is described as a progressive possession that involved botched exorcisms and family relocations, elements that are here woven into a cohesive narrative.The Conjuring 4expands the focus on family resilience, showing how terror unites the Smurls in times of crisis, while the Warrens serve as a moral anchor.

Thematically, it explores the concept of "last rites" not only as spiritual closure, but as reflection on legacy: what is left when the demons are gone, but the scars remain? This depth elevates the delivery beyond mere scares, making it a meditative epilogue for Ed and Lorraine. In the universe ofThe Conjuring, this fourth part stands out for its return to the roots: haunted houses, meticulous investigations and an evil that feeds on human guilt. Compared to spin-offs like The Nun either Annabelle, feels more intimate, prioritizing drama over monster escalation. Her strengths lie in her central performances: Wilson brings a stoic solidity to Ed, while Farmiga imbues Lorraine with an ethereal empathy that makes her gifts believable.

The Conjuring 4It wouldn't be what it is without Wilson and Farmiga, and this applies to all the other films in the saga, even being evident in the spin-offs.

Curiosities about The Conjuring 4: Last Rites

1. This is the last film in the main series with Ed and Lorraine Warren as protagonists, although the Conjuring universe could continue with spin-offs.
2. James Wan, creator of the franchise, makes a cameo as a wedding guest in an early scene.
3. Filming took place on real locations in Rhode Island, including a historic house that was used to recreate the Smurl home.
4. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson have played the Warrens in eight films in the Conjuring universe, totaling more than a decade of collaboration.
5. The production included paranormal advisors to ensure fidelity to the Smurl case, inspired by real events from the 1980s.

If you have seen The Conjuring: Last RitesWhat did you think? Share in the comments!