Film

The Conjuring 2

Name: The Conjuring 2
Genre: Horror
Released: 2016
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Madison Wolfe, Frances O'Connor, Lauren Esposito

The Conjuring 2 is a supernatural horror film about paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren helping a family in 1970s London terrorized by a violent poltergeist. Director James Wan crafts genuinely frightening set pieces with meticulous control, balancing scares with real emotional stakes. It's for people who want horror that respects intelligence and invested characters.

TMDb rating

3.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy slow-burn haunted-house dread built on patient camera work, a warm family at the centre, and scares that land because you have come to care about the people in the house.

Skip it if you want relentless jump scares or a brisk runtime; this one takes its time setting up its rooms and family, and at over two hours it can feel long before the big set pieces arrive.

What it asks of you: Settle in for a long, measured build with a lot of quiet dread before the loud moments, and expect the lighter family scenes to sit alongside the frightening ones.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Insidious2011

James Wan's other masterclass in tension-building. Genuinely unsettling atmosphere with strong performances, and it proves Wan can sustain dread across multiple genres without relying on jump-scares alone.

But The third act becomes more conventionally supernatural, and some audience members find the demon design more silly than scary once it's fully revealed.

Poltergeist1982

The spiritual ancestor of hauntings-in-suburbia horror. Tobe Hooper directs with real craft, and the family dynamic feels lived-in. Essential viewing for understanding why The Conjuring 2's premise resonates.

But 1980s effects show their age, and the pacing occasionally stalls. Some of the scariest moments are brief and easily missed if you're not fully locked in.

The Ring2002

Gore Verbinski's American remake has the same patient, methodical approach to horror as Wan. Creeping dread builds through investigation rather than spectacle, and it nails the logic of its own supernatural rules.

But The plot mechanics feel contrived in hindsight, and Naomi Watts' character sometimes makes bewildering decisions. The central curse concept is slightly absurd once you think about it.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Conjuring 2

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Ghostwatch1992

Both use the framework of paranormal investigators into a family home, but Ghostwatch achieves horror through intimacy and format—what you almost see—rather than James Wan's carefully composed jump-scares.

A BBC live broadcast made as a real haunting investigation—it's the template Wan studied. Shot like documentary television from the 1990s, it's genuinely unsettling because it trusts format over spectacle. Absolutely original.

But Made as a TV special, so the pacing and production value feel deliberately lo-fi. Some will dismiss it as dated; others will be bored by its refusal to showboat.

Sinister2012

Scott Derrickson achieves something rare: truly original dread. Ethan Hawke investigates disturbing home videos, and the film trusts the audience to be unsettled by implication rather than spectacle.

But Long stretches without much happening might bore viewers wanting constant scares. The ending feels slightly rushed after a deliberate, patient build.

Ouija: Origin of Evil2016

Mike Flanagan proves a prequel can outshine its predecessor through craft and genuine character moments. Set in the 1960s, it's got the period detail and emotional depth that makes scares land harder.

But If you didn't care about the first Ouija film, this might feel like an unnecessary origin story. The final act pivots toward more traditional supernatural action.

The Woman in Black2012

A ghost story that understands atmosphere and restraint. Daniel Radcliffe anchors a genuinely creepy haunted-house narrative with Victorian-era dread, all without relying on graphic gore.

But The pacing is slow and deliberate, which some find tedious. Jump-scares are minimal, so if you came for shocks you'll leave disappointed.

Hereditary2018

Ari Aster channels family trauma and occult horror into something deeply unsettling. Toni Collette delivers a career-best performance, and the film's scares are woven into a real emotional unraveling.

But The horror is dark and grieving rather than thrilling—some find it exhausting rather than entertaining. The final act shifts into something quite bleak.

Insidious: Chapter 22013

A rare sequel that deepens its mythology while maintaining the first film's restraint. Wan continues building tension through spatial geography and character connection rather than cheap tricks.

But Depends heavily on liking the first film's approach. Some consider it less necessary than the original, and the plot gets tangled in its own mythology.

The Awakening2011

Nick Murphy's period ghost story has genuine mood and a clever central mystery. Rebecca Hall carries the film with intelligence and vulnerability, and the twist actually earns its moment.

But The pacing sags in the middle, and the finale—while clever—happens so quietly some viewers miss it. Period details, while atmospheric, can feel slow to modern audiences.

Let's Scare Jessica to Death1971

Both are period pieces (Conjuring 2 is set in 1977 England; this is literally a 70s film) where domestic unease slowly colonizes a home. But this one never lets you feel safe by confirming the threat is external—it could all be internal.

A 1970s supernatural horror that's shot like a psychological thriller with ambiguous reality. Zohra Lampert carries the unsettling atmosphere, and the film suggests dread rather than confirming it. Beautifully strange and hypnotic.

But Nothing is explicit or clear—you're unsure what's real or supernatural throughout. Some find this frustrating; others find sitting in that uncertainty unbearable.

A Tale of Two Sisters2003

Like The Conjuring 2, it centers a haunting within family dynamics—but this one reveals that sometimes the real horror is internal, not external. It trusts the audience to sit in ambiguity in ways the Conjuring films do not.

Kim Jee-woon's South Korean haunting is visually stunning and emotionally devastating. A slow-burn psychological horror that recontextualizes everything you've watched by its final frames. Subtle, sophisticated, and genuinely disturbing.

But Deliberately paced and requires full attention—it will punish phones and divided focus. The horror is more about grief and family fracture than supernatural threats, which can feel abstract to viewers wanting clearer scares.