A serviceable but uneven entry in the franchise: it leans more into procedural mystery and the Warrens’ relationship than sustained dread, so the scares are less memorable than the setup. If you enjoy occult-investigation horror with a strong central couple and a true-crime angle, it’s worth a watch; if you want… Read more
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Horror · Mystery
Tue · 1h 51m
Director: Michael Chaves
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sterling Jerins
Overview
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren encounter what would become one of the most sensational cases from their files. The fight for the soul of a young boy takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Director
Michael Chaves
Cast
Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sterling Jerins
Curator Review
Verdict
A serviceable but uneven entry in the franchise: it leans more into procedural mystery and the Warrens’ relationship than sustained dread, so the scares are less memorable than the setup. If you enjoy occult-investigation horror with a strong central couple and a true-crime angle, it’s worth a watch; if you want the series at its most atmospheric or terrifying, this is a step down.
Best for
fans of occult-investigation horror
viewers who like horror with a romantic/partner dynamic
people interested in loosely true-crime-inspired supernatural cases
franchise completists
Skip if
you want the scariest Conjuring film
you prefer tightly paced, high-tension horror
you dislike courtroom/procedural detours in horror
you want a purely supernatural story without detective elements
Overview
The Devil Made Me Do It shifts the franchise from haunted-house escalation toward a crime-thriller structure, and that change is both its hook and its limitation. The central case has a strong hook, but the film often feels more interested in moving pieces around than in building a sustained sense of dread.
Worth noting
What keeps it afloat is the chemistry between Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, which remains the series’ most reliable asset. Their relationship gives the movie warmth and momentum, even when the scares are familiar and the investigation mechanics feel overfamiliar.
Bottom line
As horror, it’s middling; as a supernatural procedural with a committed lead duo, it works better. The result is watchable, occasionally effective, but not essential unless you’re invested in the Warrens or the franchise’s broader mythology.
Top Letterboxd reviews
oppie (3★) · 9606 likes
every conjuring movies be like “this is the scariest job that ed and lorraine warren ever did” like is there any job they did that aren’t scary these guys are literally ghostbusters
neve (4★) · 5361 likes
just want a demon to possess me so i can get my back cracked for free
lewismitchell21 (2.5★) · 4901 likes
I got chicken shit on my hand
lola gumball (3.5★) · 3924 likes
patrick wilson swinging that hammer as if taika waititi has just cast him as the new thor
Madison 🎭 (3★) · 3780 likes
Patrick Wilson: the god and devil are real you need to believe Me: so true king 😍 take your shirt off 😩
A faith-based exorcism story that emphasizes ritual, skepticism, and the burden of confronting evil.
Themes
demonic possession, occult investigation, marriage and partnership, true-crime inspiration, religious horror, supernatural mystery, good versus evil, family protection