“The Conjuring”: Invisible Fear, Theology of Horror, and Traditional Values

Abstract

This article reviews Kevin Wetmore Jr.’s book on the film “The Conjuring”, published in the “Devil’s Advocates” series. The author briefly outlines the academic historiography of the Conjuring universe and notes that Wetmore’s book is the most balanced study of the franchise. The book examines three of the film’s most frightening moments as examples of James Wan’s manipulation of the audience. The author of the article highlights the second chapter, which focuses on paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, as a particularly important part of the book. Wetmore places “The Conjuring” (2013) in the context of reality TV shows about paranormal investigations and explores the film’s representation of Catholicism and “bad witches”. While some critics have condemned the film for misogyny, the author argues that it actually presents a more positive representation of women than many feminist critics acknowledge. Additionally, the Conjuring universe is shown to celebrate traditional values, such as strong family bonds and classical social institutions. Wetmore also discusses the role of gaming in the franchise, the importance of female characters, and provides an overview of its sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. The author of the article considers Wetmore’s study to be a valuable, balanced, and useful contribution to horror studies, which often focus excessively on issues of race, gender, and similar themes.