The Conjuring

Within the contemporary horror genre, it seems almost impossible these days to find a completely original idea, even when it’s allegedly based on a true story.

Yet along comes The Conjuring, which escapes those pitfalls by putting a fresh spin on familiar elements and creating a gritty, character-driven thriller that’s both scary and suspenseful.

The film is about more than doors slamming and ghosts jumping out of the shadows. It takes place in the 1970s, when Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn (Lili Taylor) move their family — including four young daughters — into a rural New England farmhouse, unaware of the tragic history of the property.

It’s not long before the strange happenings commence, with talks of hallucinations, possessed trinkets, strange noises during the night, and other mysterious goings-on.

A panicked Carolyn tracks down paranormal investigator Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Lorraine (Vera Farmiga), who agree to visit the house, only to inadvertently endanger their own family once they uncover and anger the demons inside.

Director James Wan (Insidious) crafts his most polished film to date with a slick visual approach and an ability to move beyond gimmicks to deliver some effective chills. Smartly, he incorporates the unique house into the film almost as an extra character, with its creaky doors, hidden cellars and tight crawlspaces that each play an obligatory role as the story unfolds.

The script by twin brothers Chad and Carey Hayes (House of Wax) contains enough traditional haunted house shenanigans to please genre aficionados, even if the characters are too conveniently naïve and skeptical, and the religious overtones become silly.

The true story on which the film is inspired is likely embellished to some degree, just like The Amityville Horror, another film based upon the most famous case investigated by the Warrens.

Still, the film doesn’t require belief in demonic possession or the supernatural to be effective. It reveals secrets only as needed, and gets under the collective skin of moviegoers by cleverly exploiting old-fashioned fear of the unknown.

The Conjuring could use a tighter edit, and its final sequence set in a basement is overwrought. But it’s the quieter and simpler moments that make the film so creepy.

Rated R, 112 minutes.