The Conjuring Last Rites review roundup: Overstuffed, painfully safe, and short on scares

So, Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cinematic exorcism career has officially clocked out with The Conjuring: Last Rites. But instead of going out in a blaze of unholy glory, this farewell feels more like a tired sigh than a scream.

IGN review noted that the film kicks off strong with collapsing ceilings, creepy shadows, and even some good old-fashioned blood hacking. Director Michael Chaves (of The Nun II and Devil Made Me Do It fame) has clearly upped his tension game, delivering a few inventive set pieces—like a basement scene that actually earns its chills. But, as the review states, that early promise fades fast, leaving the film running on fumes.

Over at The Guardian, they called the franchise “dad-rock horror,” comparing its predictable jump-scares to Status Quo power chords—reliable, yes, but hardly groundbreaking. For them, Last Rites feels beige and sluggish, weighed down by soap-opera drama before the obligatory satanic hokey-cokey kicks in. Translation: too much family handwringing, not enough devilish fun.

Meanwhile, Rotten Tomatoes’ user base is split. Some fans called it “one of the best entries” in the series, praising Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s never-failing chemistry and the film’s emotional depth. Others groaned about its overstuffed 135-minute runtime, routine scares, and the franchise’s refusal to take risks. One user crowned it “a fitting end” that leaned more on family than frights, though they admit there’s at least one scream-worthy jump scare that earns bragging rights.

Verdict: The Conjuring: Last Rites isn’t a total disaster—there are glimmers of the old Wan magic, a few genuinely spooky moments, and the always-reliable Warrens at the center. But it also plays it painfully safe, too long for its own good, and often feels like it’s more interested in the Warren family tree than in shaking the walls with horror. A farewell mass, yes—but not exactly a rager.