6.6 | / 10 |
| Users | 0.0 | |
| Reviewer | 3.0 | |
| Overall | 3.0 |
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one last terrifying case involving mysterious entities they must confront.
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy (IV), Steve Coulter| Horror | Uncertain |
| Supernatural | Uncertain |
| Thriller | Uncertain |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1, 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
| Movie | 3.0 | |
| Video | 0.0 | |
| Audio | 4.5 | |
| Extras | 1.5 | |
| Overall | 3.0 |
Director Michael Chaves has amassed an awful filmography since 2019, consistently underwhelming horror fans with The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and The Nun II... so when I say that his latest film The Conjuring: Last Rites isn't terrible, that's pretty high praise indeed. Presented as a honest-to-goodness underlined coda for franchise mainstays Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, naturally), it's a torch-passing family affair that just barely gets by thanks to nostalgia, solid performances, and a few genuinely good scares. It still ain't that much of a movie, but at least can be seen as a semi-return to form after the previous outing.

The second story involves the Smurl family of West Pittston, PA, who end up purchasing a very familiar antique mirror to celebrate the confirmation of their second oldest daughter Heather (Kíla Lord Cassidy); together with parents Janet and Jack (Rebecca Calder and Elliot Cowan), oldest daughter Dawn (Beau Gadsdon), young twins Shannon and Carin (Molly Cartwright and Tilly Walker), and their live-in grandparents (Peter Wight and Kate Fahy), the crowded Catholic family (ah, but I repeat myself) somehow squeezes into a house that's too small and way too haunted to be considered optimal living conditions. The latter problem arrives with the mirror, of course, an intensely creepy artifact that Heather immediately dislikes and, together with Dawn, discreetly disposes of on trash day. But, as we all know from the loose and convenient rules of supernatural horror, actually destroying a demonic object is easier said than done.
These separate tales eventually join together when the Warrens -- all three of 'em, plus Tony -- finally arrive in West Pittston after an inordinate number of creepy (and occasionally really violent) encounters whittle the poor Smurls into submission. Like Father Damien Karras, they descend on the crowded house and eventually pledge to rid it of all evil, a process that again is easier said than done. Keep in mind that this case occurs after the Warrens' planned retirement: they're quite simply getting too old for this shit (aren't we all?) and Ed's nursing an earlier heart attack that has him eating egg whites, which means each and every run-in with these unknown entities might lead to a second.
Last Rites mostly plays it safe. This is the safest move for a franchise that struggled to connect with audiences since The Devil Made Me Do It deflated viewer confidence after the first two good to great entries. It unfortunately doubles down on the whole "true story" schtick but at least injects the unintentionally hilarious story with good old-fashioned genuine dread, decently high stakes, and a bit of human emotion along the way. Everything clearly points to a "next gen" path for the franchise in two or more years, one that heralds Judy and Tony as its new stars while Ed and Lorraine consult from the sidelines... or jump in for another round, if someone really needs a paycheck. But even taken on its own terms, Last Rites earns its keep and will please (or at least entertain) those who have come this far.
Released back in September to mixed reviews but reliably strong ticket sales, Last Rites actually stands as the highest-grossing film in the
series and continues Warner Bros.' surprisingly strong theatrical year. True to form for the studio, it now arrives on home video (as The
Conjuring 4) in separate 4K and Blu-ray editions as well as an obligatory Steelbook combo pack, all of which include solid A/V presentations but
a rather weak trio of bonus features.

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from the Blu-ray edition, available separately and reviewed here.
There's not much to say about this 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision transfer of Last Rites, which doesn't traverse any new visual territory for the franchise or contain any noticeable drawbacks or problems. Authored on a full triple-layered disc (100GB), Warner Bros. doesn't quite max out the available real estate but serves up a strong, workmanlike image that combines deep, inky blacks with heavy mid-range shadows and controlled color most of the way, favoring warm and cool hues in equal measure with the only real similarity being that neither end of the spectrum is heavily saturated in most cases; aside from a restaurant visit, a backyard barbeque, and a few other moments, you shouldn't count on any really vivid colors here. This fits the film's prevailing mood, and if nothing else the HDR layer gives everything a solid uniformity that looks purposeful rather than muddy while helping to make some of Last Rites' most deeply disturbing moments as readable as they need to be. Fine detail is perfectly good in optimal conditions, and no obvious signs of compression artifacts could be spotted along the way, rounding out the visual presentation nicely.
Please also note that Last Rites uses a shifting aspect ratio, changing from 2.39:1 to a taller 1.78:1 during two scenes that last just over 8 minutes total; this is done to mimic the 1.90:1 format used for IMAX presentations.

The Dolby Atmos mix again serves up a dutifully designed sonic experience that stays well within franchise and genre boundaries, serving up clean and crisp dialogue while reaching into the sides and surrounds to support jump scares and other atmospheric moments. The height channels are mostly reserved but nonetheless add an amount of appreciated emphasis to organic immersion as well as the original score by composer Benjamin Wallfisch, who turns in reliably good work here. Those unequipped for Atmos will still heartily enough the downmixed Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mix in its place, one that again digs deep to deliver more than a few well-placed thrills and chills along the way. Overall, it's solid work that gets the job done while not sounding overcooked in the process, which isn't always the case with horror films.
Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are including during the film and all extras listed below.

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with artwork that's mostly identical to the Steelbook; a matching slipcover and Digital Copy redemption code are also included, as are a few surface-level extras.

Director Michael Chaves partially redeems himself with The Conjuring: Last Rites (with or without the added "4"), a surprisingly not-terrible franchise entry that also shares co-writers with 2021's woefully underwhelming The Devil Made Me Do It. It's mostly aided by a bit of nostalgia and a forward-thinking story that emphasis closure and a passing of the torch... which doesn't fully make up for its clichés, speed bumps, and other shortcomings, but it certainly helps a little. Simply put, those who have gotten this far will likely enjoy themselves, and Warner Bros.' separate home video options serve up proportionately strong A/V presentations but only a handful of weak bonus features.

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