After his work on Insidious, James Wan returned to the horror genre with an even better film – The Conjuring (2013). The film was so successful that it triggered the manufacturing of an entire horror universe full of spin-offs, prequels and sequels. Aside from indie horror films, The Conjuring Universe films are pretty much the reason horror movies are alive in Hollywood. Even if they aren’t critically successful, they’re cheap to make and almost always get their money back. The Nun II is a sequel to a prequel of The Conjuring movies. There was enough hype created for the film through trailers and press conferences, as it promised a terrifying outing. However, I believe it is the worst film of 2023. So, how does the newest film in the franchise compare to the other films. Let’s find out with this definitive ranking od the Conjuring Universe!
9) The Curse of La Llorona
This might be the most out of place film of The Conjuring universe. The Curse of La Llorona has zero to no connection to the ever expanding The Conjuring universe. The film had amazing lore at the center of its premise but the makers didn’t use it to their advantage. Instead, they took something so interesting and created a generic horror flick. You might not even hear this film’s name in The Conjuring universe as unlike the others, this one doesn’t interconnect with each other at multiple points in time.
8) Annabelle
After the overwhelming success of The Conjuring, the most famous element from the film was the Annabelle doll which was a conduit for a demonic spirit. Demonic dolls were always a thing but somehow James Wan made this doll one of the most iconic horror characters of the 21st century. Which is why they made a sequel on it. Long story short, they shouldn’t have. The Annabelle spin-off is one of the weakest horror films of the last decade. What hurts is it, it was based off The Conjuring.
7) The Nun
The Nun was supposed to tell the backstory of Valak, the central evil force of The Conjuring universe. Basically, their Thanos. The demon nun is possibly behind everything that has happened to the Warrens so far. However, the makers really made a joke out of Valak in this film. They reduced it to a prankster. The film offers little to none when it comes to scares or a good story but in order to connect The Conjuring universe timeline, this movie comes in handy. The Nun’s events may tie into The Conjuring 4: Last Rites.
6) The Nun II
This is the film you’re here for, right? Where does the newest film of the franchise find itself in this list. Well, pretty low. To be clear, the sequel is better than the first one but if you really look past the pricey visuals it uses a similar formula of people walking in creepy attics and hallways. It doesn’t scare us one bit. Valak is still a prankster but now the demon has the guts to kill some people. The makers have still not made a film that gives justice to Valak. If you want the full review then click here.
5) Annabelle Comes Home
Annabelle Comes Home is a decent horror film. From this point onwards, whatever film is ranked won’t be a bad film. They’re at the least decent or even amazing for a change. Annabelle Comes Home tells the story of the Annabelle doll when it comes to the Warren house. This sequel is a step above the terrible Annabelle which came out in 2014. Despite not being the best, the film definitely keeps us hooked till the end of the film but doesn’t scare us as much. Also, the film answers some questions by making some connections in The Conjuring universe.
4) The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It
The third Conjuring film is the weakest one yet. However, the presence of Ed and Lorraine Warren adds some charm in the film that genuinely makes us connect to the overall mediocre story. The scares are not as effective because you can see the jumpscares coming from a mile but the human story of Ed and Lorraine is what keeps us connected to the narrative. I can say one thing, the opening scene of the film definitely keeps up with the quality of the first two The Conjuring films. Although, I would still call it decent not good.
3) Annabelle: Creation
I remember seeing this film for the first time in 2017 and I’m not lying I couldn’t sleep that night. All I saw was Annabelle when I closed my eyes. I rewatched the film again this year and of course it didn’t have the same effect. However, David Sandberg has done a good job of crafting good jumpscares and a genuinely eerie atmosphere that perfectly sums up the origin of one of the most iconic horror characters. I found the climax of the film to be the weakest but definitely check out Annabelle: Creation for a terrifying watch.
2) The Conjuring 2
This is the film that introduced us to the evil nun, who possibly could be the reason for everything wrong in The Conjuring universe. Of course, this film was going to be awesome. Not because of The Nun but because of the director – James Wan. He is truly a master of the horror genre and there is no one who can direct a horror film as well as him. After creating an horror icon in the first The Conjuring he made sure that the second film also gave us iconic demonic presence. The second film isn’t as good at the first but this is horror gold. Truly, the stakes, the story, the characters, everything is on point.
1) The Conjuring
The first film is the best film. This is where it all began. You have to watch The Conjuring because it is the best horror film ever (for me). You won’t regret giving time to this film. The film might seem to not have anything to do with Valak but there is a connection. The Conjuring 2 directly ties into the first film to reveal a Warren secret and hence, The Conjuring becomes proof of Valak’s eternal existence and deep relation to the Warrens. I’d never watched this film until this year. When I did I was speechless, because never had I seen a horror film of this quality. I watched it again and the film holds up. You still feel tense and scared. The screenplay is so clever the way the Warrens are introduced alongside the Perron family. I don’t think there has been a better horror film made in this century. The Conjuring is the best horror film and I don’t think so it will be dethroned very soon.
The latest film in The Conjuring Universe, The Nun 2 is playing theaters near you.
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