Oct. 11, 2025
Haunting Legacies: The Emotional Depth of 'The Conjuring Last Rites'
In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica explore the chilling depths of the latest installment in the *Conjuring* franchise, *The Conjuring: Last Rites*. This ninth film not only continues the series' legacy of supernatural horror but also delves into profound themes of family, faith, and generational trauma. The hosts discuss how the film artfully intertwines the haunting saga of the Smurl family with a deeply personal narrative centered on the Warrens' daughter, Judy, portrayed by Mia Tomlinson.
Listeners will be intrigued by the film's clever structure, which connects Judy's origins to a terrifying mirror from her parents' past, showcasing her inherited supernatural abilities alongside her mother's warmth and compassion. Chris and Jessica highlight the tension created by Judy's relationship with Tony, an ex-cop played by Ben Marti, as he grapples with the unexplainable forces surrounding them.
The episode dives into director Michael Chavez's restrained approach to horror, using visual effects sparingly to build an oppressive atmosphere that keeps audiences on edge. The hosts praise the film for its ability to balance genuine scares with emotional depth, particularly as Ed and Lorraine Warren face personal health challenges that add vulnerability to their characters.
With a solid rating of 7.5 out of 10, *The Conjuring: Last Rites* stands as a remarkable entry that honors the franchise's focus on familial bonds while delivering the thrills that fans crave. Chris and Jessica discuss how this film not only serves as a satisfying conclusion for long-time viewers but also welcomes newcomers into the fold, proving that character-driven horror still has a place in modern cinema.
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To access the Movies First reviews archive visit our website at www.bitesz.com/podcast/movies-first
WEBVTT
0
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.160
Chris: Horror movies are often dismissed as pure
1
00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:04.720
entertainment, but the Conjuring franchise
2
00:00:04.720 --> 00:00:07.280
has managed to generate over $2.1 billion
3
00:00:07.760 --> 00:00:10.640
at the box office while tackling deep themes
4
00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:13.360
about family, faith and generational
5
00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:16.240
trauma. Let me tell you about their
6
00:00:16.240 --> 00:00:18.640
latest entry that proves this point
7
00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:19.280
perfectly.
8
00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:22.760
Jessica: That's fascinating. How does this ninth film
9
00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:24.720
in the series manage to keep those themes
10
00:00:24.720 --> 00:00:26.640
fresh while still delivering the scares?
11
00:00:27.820 --> 00:00:29.140
Chris: Well, what's really interesting is how
12
00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:31.300
they've structured this as the Warrens final
13
00:00:31.300 --> 00:00:34.020
case. The film centers on the Smurl family
14
00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:36.820
haunting in Pennsylvania, but it's cleverly
15
00:00:36.820 --> 00:00:39.260
interwoven with this deeply personal story
16
00:00:39.580 --> 00:00:41.900
about the Warrens own daughter, Judy.
17
00:00:43.019 --> 00:00:43.130
Hmm. Mhm.
18
00:00:44.220 --> 00:00:46.060
Jessica: Tell me more about how they connected those
19
00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:47.100
narrative threads.
20
00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:49.980
Chris: So get this. They established that
21
00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:52.260
Judy was actually born during one of
22
00:00:52.260 --> 00:00:55.100
Lorraine's first cases. Specifically during
23
00:00:55.100 --> 00:00:58.020
an encounter with this terrifying mirror. Now
24
00:00:58.020 --> 00:00:59.980
that mirror has come back into play as adult
25
00:00:59.980 --> 00:01:02.060
Judy, played by Mia Tomlinson,
26
00:01:02.620 --> 00:01:04.460
deals with her own supernatural abilities.
27
00:01:05.100 --> 00:01:06.540
Jessica: That's m such a clever way to bring
28
00:01:06.540 --> 00:01:09.140
everything full circle. How does the film
29
00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:10.900
handle the transition between the younger
30
00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:12.900
Judy we've seen in previous films to this
31
00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:13.660
adult version?
32
00:01:14.540 --> 00:01:16.340
Chris: You know, they do it really effectively by
33
00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:18.580
showing how she's inherited not just her
34
00:01:18.580 --> 00:01:20.960
mother's abilities, but but also that same
35
00:01:20.960 --> 00:01:23.240
warmth and compassion. We've come to
36
00:01:23.240 --> 00:01:25.640
associate with Vera Farmiga's portrayal of
37
00:01:25.640 --> 00:01:27.840
Lorraine, though now she's trying to balance
38
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:30.760
these powers with a normal life, including a
39
00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:33.200
relationship with an ex cop named Tony.
40
00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:36.360
Jessica: The dynamics between the skeptical ex cop and
41
00:01:36.360 --> 00:01:38.720
this family of paranormal investigators must
42
00:01:38.720 --> 00:01:40.320
create some interesting tension.
43
00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:44.200
Chris: Oh, absolutely. And that's where Ben Hardy's
44
00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:47.080
performance as Tony really shines. We get to
45
00:01:47.080 --> 00:01:49.280
watch this former law enforcement officer,
46
00:01:49.600 --> 00:01:51.400
someone trained to deal in facts and
47
00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:53.720
evidence, gradually come to terms with
48
00:01:53.720 --> 00:01:55.760
supernatural forces he can't explain or
49
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:56.080
control.
50
00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.160
Jessica: Speaking of control, I'm curious about how
51
00:01:59.160 --> 00:02:01.120
they handled the actual scares in this one.
52
00:02:02.080 --> 00:02:05.000
Chris: Well, director Michael Chavez took this
53
00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:07.240
really interesting approach where the visual
54
00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:10.200
effects are used sparingly. They emerge from
55
00:02:10.200 --> 00:02:12.320
shadows at, uh, just the right moments.
56
00:02:13.350 --> 00:02:15.350
Combined with John Frankish's production
57
00:02:15.350 --> 00:02:17.750
design and Benjamin Walfish's score,
58
00:02:18.070 --> 00:02:20.190
it creates this incredibly oppressive
59
00:02:20.190 --> 00:02:20.950
atmosphere.
60
00:02:21.430 --> 00:02:23.750
Jessica: That restraint in horror can be so effective.
61
00:02:24.230 --> 00:02:26.190
It's like the old saying about what you don't
62
00:02:26.190 --> 00:02:27.990
see being scarier than what you do.
63
00:02:28.950 --> 00:02:31.110
Chris: Exactly. And they apply that same principle
64
00:02:31.190 --> 00:02:33.030
to how they handle Ed and Lorraine's
65
00:02:33.030 --> 00:02:35.510
retirement. Instead of just writing them out,
66
00:02:35.590 --> 00:02:37.750
they introduce these very human health issues
67
00:02:37.990 --> 00:02:40.730
that force them to step back, which adds this
68
00:02:40.730 --> 00:02:42.170
layer of vulnerability we haven't seen
69
00:02:42.170 --> 00:02:42.490
before.
70
00:02:43.050 --> 00:02:45.090
Jessica: That must raise the stakes considerably when
71
00:02:45.090 --> 00:02:46.010
they do get involved.
72
00:02:46.890 --> 00:02:48.890
Chris: It really does. And it's made even more
73
00:02:48.890 --> 00:02:50.890
intense because we're dealing with the Smurl
74
00:02:50.890 --> 00:02:53.210
family. Eight people all experiencing these
75
00:02:53.210 --> 00:02:56.050
terrifying phenomena. The fact that this is
76
00:02:56.050 --> 00:02:58.090
based on real events that continued into the
77
00:02:58.090 --> 00:03:00.410
90s makes it even more unsettling.
78
00:03:00.970 --> 00:03:03.050
Jessica: You mentioned earlier about the franchise's
79
00:03:03.050 --> 00:03:05.890
box office success. How does this entry
80
00:03:05.890 --> 00:03:07.290
compare to the previous films?
81
00:03:08.230 --> 00:03:10.310
Chris: That's what's really impressive. Despite
82
00:03:10.390 --> 00:03:12.910
being the ninth entry, it stands among the
83
00:03:12.910 --> 00:03:15.910
best in the series. They've managed to create
84
00:03:15.910 --> 00:03:18.070
something that works both as a conclusion for
85
00:03:18.070 --> 00:03:20.670
longtime fans and as an entry point for
86
00:03:20.670 --> 00:03:22.870
newcomers, which is pretty rare in modern
87
00:03:22.870 --> 00:03:23.989
franchise filmmaking.
88
00:03:24.710 --> 00:03:26.470
Jessica: So what you're saying is they've actually
89
00:03:26.470 --> 00:03:28.070
managed to stick the landing?
90
00:03:28.950 --> 00:03:31.230
Chris: Well, mostly, though I will say the ending
91
00:03:31.230 --> 00:03:34.020
feels a bit too Hollywood polished. But even
92
00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:36.540
with that minor criticism, they've succeeded
93
00:03:36.540 --> 00:03:38.420
in creating something that honors the series
94
00:03:38.500 --> 00:03:40.860
focus on family relationships while still
95
00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:43.700
delivering those genuine scares that had the
96
00:03:43.700 --> 00:03:46.180
guy behind me in the theater practically
97
00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:47.540
jumping out of his seat.
98
00:03:48.260 --> 00:03:50.020
Jessica: That's quite an achievement for any horror
99
00:03:50.020 --> 00:03:52.060
film, let alone the ninth entry in a
100
00:03:52.060 --> 00:03:52.580
franchise.
101
00:03:53.540 --> 00:03:54.860
Chris: And you know what's really going to be
102
00:03:54.860 --> 00:03:57.700
interesting to watch? How this film's success
103
00:03:58.180 --> 00:04:00.260
might influence the future of horror
104
00:04:00.260 --> 00:04:03.070
franchises. It shows there's still room
105
00:04:03.070 --> 00:04:05.710
for character driven, emotionally resonant
106
00:04:05.710 --> 00:04:08.150
horror that doesn't rely solely on jump
107
00:04:08.150 --> 00:04:09.110
scares and gore.
108
00:04:09.830 --> 00:04:12.270
On a final note, I am pleased to be able to
109
00:04:12.270 --> 00:04:15.150
say that the Conjuring Last Rites
110
00:04:15.150 --> 00:04:17.389
is up there with the best of breed in the
111
00:04:17.389 --> 00:04:20.150
Conjuring repertoire. Importantly, even if
112
00:04:20.150 --> 00:04:21.790
you haven't seen any of the others in the
113
00:04:21.790 --> 00:04:24.470
franchise, this one can readily be viewed and
114
00:04:24.470 --> 00:04:27.376
understood in isolation. It scores a 7
115
00:04:27.444 --> 00:04:28.310
1/2 out of 10.
116
00:04:28.630 --> 00:04:30.870
Voice Over Guy: You've been listening to movies first
117
00:04:31.110 --> 00:04:33.890
available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
118
00:04:34.050 --> 00:04:36.810
iHeartRadio or your favorite podcast
119
00:04:36.810 --> 00:04:38.530
player. You can also stream on
120
00:04:38.530 --> 00:04:40.650
demand@bytes.com this.
121
00:04:40.650 --> 00:04:43.010
Chris: Has been another quality podcast production
122
00:04:43.010 --> 00:04:44.530
from bitesz.com
0
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.160
Chris: Horror movies are often dismissed as pure
1
00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:04.720
entertainment, but the Conjuring franchise
2
00:00:04.720 --> 00:00:07.280
has managed to generate over $2.1 billion
3
00:00:07.760 --> 00:00:10.640
at the box office while tackling deep themes
4
00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:13.360
about family, faith and generational
5
00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:16.240
trauma. Let me tell you about their
6
00:00:16.240 --> 00:00:18.640
latest entry that proves this point
7
00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:19.280
perfectly.
8
00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:22.760
Jessica: That's fascinating. How does this ninth film
9
00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:24.720
in the series manage to keep those themes
10
00:00:24.720 --> 00:00:26.640
fresh while still delivering the scares?
11
00:00:27.820 --> 00:00:29.140
Chris: Well, what's really interesting is how
12
00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:31.300
they've structured this as the Warrens final
13
00:00:31.300 --> 00:00:34.020
case. The film centers on the Smurl family
14
00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:36.820
haunting in Pennsylvania, but it's cleverly
15
00:00:36.820 --> 00:00:39.260
interwoven with this deeply personal story
16
00:00:39.580 --> 00:00:41.900
about the Warrens own daughter, Judy.
17
00:00:43.019 --> 00:00:43.130
Hmm. Mhm.
18
00:00:44.220 --> 00:00:46.060
Jessica: Tell me more about how they connected those
19
00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:47.100
narrative threads.
20
00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:49.980
Chris: So get this. They established that
21
00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:52.260
Judy was actually born during one of
22
00:00:52.260 --> 00:00:55.100
Lorraine's first cases. Specifically during
23
00:00:55.100 --> 00:00:58.020
an encounter with this terrifying mirror. Now
24
00:00:58.020 --> 00:00:59.980
that mirror has come back into play as adult
25
00:00:59.980 --> 00:01:02.060
Judy, played by Mia Tomlinson,
26
00:01:02.620 --> 00:01:04.460
deals with her own supernatural abilities.
27
00:01:05.100 --> 00:01:06.540
Jessica: That's m such a clever way to bring
28
00:01:06.540 --> 00:01:09.140
everything full circle. How does the film
29
00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:10.900
handle the transition between the younger
30
00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:12.900
Judy we've seen in previous films to this
31
00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:13.660
adult version?
32
00:01:14.540 --> 00:01:16.340
Chris: You know, they do it really effectively by
33
00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:18.580
showing how she's inherited not just her
34
00:01:18.580 --> 00:01:20.960
mother's abilities, but but also that same
35
00:01:20.960 --> 00:01:23.240
warmth and compassion. We've come to
36
00:01:23.240 --> 00:01:25.640
associate with Vera Farmiga's portrayal of
37
00:01:25.640 --> 00:01:27.840
Lorraine, though now she's trying to balance
38
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:30.760
these powers with a normal life, including a
39
00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:33.200
relationship with an ex cop named Tony.
40
00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:36.360
Jessica: The dynamics between the skeptical ex cop and
41
00:01:36.360 --> 00:01:38.720
this family of paranormal investigators must
42
00:01:38.720 --> 00:01:40.320
create some interesting tension.
43
00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:44.200
Chris: Oh, absolutely. And that's where Ben Hardy's
44
00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:47.080
performance as Tony really shines. We get to
45
00:01:47.080 --> 00:01:49.280
watch this former law enforcement officer,
46
00:01:49.600 --> 00:01:51.400
someone trained to deal in facts and
47
00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:53.720
evidence, gradually come to terms with
48
00:01:53.720 --> 00:01:55.760
supernatural forces he can't explain or
49
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:56.080
control.
50
00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.160
Jessica: Speaking of control, I'm curious about how
51
00:01:59.160 --> 00:02:01.120
they handled the actual scares in this one.
52
00:02:02.080 --> 00:02:05.000
Chris: Well, director Michael Chavez took this
53
00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:07.240
really interesting approach where the visual
54
00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:10.200
effects are used sparingly. They emerge from
55
00:02:10.200 --> 00:02:12.320
shadows at, uh, just the right moments.
56
00:02:13.350 --> 00:02:15.350
Combined with John Frankish's production
57
00:02:15.350 --> 00:02:17.750
design and Benjamin Walfish's score,
58
00:02:18.070 --> 00:02:20.190
it creates this incredibly oppressive
59
00:02:20.190 --> 00:02:20.950
atmosphere.
60
00:02:21.430 --> 00:02:23.750
Jessica: That restraint in horror can be so effective.
61
00:02:24.230 --> 00:02:26.190
It's like the old saying about what you don't
62
00:02:26.190 --> 00:02:27.990
see being scarier than what you do.
63
00:02:28.950 --> 00:02:31.110
Chris: Exactly. And they apply that same principle
64
00:02:31.190 --> 00:02:33.030
to how they handle Ed and Lorraine's
65
00:02:33.030 --> 00:02:35.510
retirement. Instead of just writing them out,
66
00:02:35.590 --> 00:02:37.750
they introduce these very human health issues
67
00:02:37.990 --> 00:02:40.730
that force them to step back, which adds this
68
00:02:40.730 --> 00:02:42.170
layer of vulnerability we haven't seen
69
00:02:42.170 --> 00:02:42.490
before.
70
00:02:43.050 --> 00:02:45.090
Jessica: That must raise the stakes considerably when
71
00:02:45.090 --> 00:02:46.010
they do get involved.
72
00:02:46.890 --> 00:02:48.890
Chris: It really does. And it's made even more
73
00:02:48.890 --> 00:02:50.890
intense because we're dealing with the Smurl
74
00:02:50.890 --> 00:02:53.210
family. Eight people all experiencing these
75
00:02:53.210 --> 00:02:56.050
terrifying phenomena. The fact that this is
76
00:02:56.050 --> 00:02:58.090
based on real events that continued into the
77
00:02:58.090 --> 00:03:00.410
90s makes it even more unsettling.
78
00:03:00.970 --> 00:03:03.050
Jessica: You mentioned earlier about the franchise's
79
00:03:03.050 --> 00:03:05.890
box office success. How does this entry
80
00:03:05.890 --> 00:03:07.290
compare to the previous films?
81
00:03:08.230 --> 00:03:10.310
Chris: That's what's really impressive. Despite
82
00:03:10.390 --> 00:03:12.910
being the ninth entry, it stands among the
83
00:03:12.910 --> 00:03:15.910
best in the series. They've managed to create
84
00:03:15.910 --> 00:03:18.070
something that works both as a conclusion for
85
00:03:18.070 --> 00:03:20.670
longtime fans and as an entry point for
86
00:03:20.670 --> 00:03:22.870
newcomers, which is pretty rare in modern
87
00:03:22.870 --> 00:03:23.989
franchise filmmaking.
88
00:03:24.710 --> 00:03:26.470
Jessica: So what you're saying is they've actually
89
00:03:26.470 --> 00:03:28.070
managed to stick the landing?
90
00:03:28.950 --> 00:03:31.230
Chris: Well, mostly, though I will say the ending
91
00:03:31.230 --> 00:03:34.020
feels a bit too Hollywood polished. But even
92
00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:36.540
with that minor criticism, they've succeeded
93
00:03:36.540 --> 00:03:38.420
in creating something that honors the series
94
00:03:38.500 --> 00:03:40.860
focus on family relationships while still
95
00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:43.700
delivering those genuine scares that had the
96
00:03:43.700 --> 00:03:46.180
guy behind me in the theater practically
97
00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:47.540
jumping out of his seat.
98
00:03:48.260 --> 00:03:50.020
Jessica: That's quite an achievement for any horror
99
00:03:50.020 --> 00:03:52.060
film, let alone the ninth entry in a
100
00:03:52.060 --> 00:03:52.580
franchise.
101
00:03:53.540 --> 00:03:54.860
Chris: And you know what's really going to be
102
00:03:54.860 --> 00:03:57.700
interesting to watch? How this film's success
103
00:03:58.180 --> 00:04:00.260
might influence the future of horror
104
00:04:00.260 --> 00:04:03.070
franchises. It shows there's still room
105
00:04:03.070 --> 00:04:05.710
for character driven, emotionally resonant
106
00:04:05.710 --> 00:04:08.150
horror that doesn't rely solely on jump
107
00:04:08.150 --> 00:04:09.110
scares and gore.
108
00:04:09.830 --> 00:04:12.270
On a final note, I am pleased to be able to
109
00:04:12.270 --> 00:04:15.150
say that the Conjuring Last Rites
110
00:04:15.150 --> 00:04:17.389
is up there with the best of breed in the
111
00:04:17.389 --> 00:04:20.150
Conjuring repertoire. Importantly, even if
112
00:04:20.150 --> 00:04:21.790
you haven't seen any of the others in the
113
00:04:21.790 --> 00:04:24.470
franchise, this one can readily be viewed and
114
00:04:24.470 --> 00:04:27.376
understood in isolation. It scores a 7
115
00:04:27.444 --> 00:04:28.310
1/2 out of 10.
116
00:04:28.630 --> 00:04:30.870
Voice Over Guy: You've been listening to movies first
117
00:04:31.110 --> 00:04:33.890
available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
118
00:04:34.050 --> 00:04:36.810
iHeartRadio or your favorite podcast
119
00:04:36.810 --> 00:04:38.530
player. You can also stream on
120
00:04:38.530 --> 00:04:40.650
demand@bytes.com this.
121
00:04:40.650 --> 00:04:43.010
Chris: Has been another quality podcast production
122
00:04:43.010 --> 00:04:44.530
from bitesz.com
