The Conjuring 2
Director of the movie James Wan poses at the premiere of "The Conjuring" at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, California July 15, 2013. The movie opens in the U.S. on July 19. Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

“The Conjuring 2” is more of a supernatural thriller than a hardcore horror movie. Australian director James Wan’s flashy techniques make the camera move like a restless spirit throughout the movie. The sequel has brought back the widely-loved horror of "The Conjuring" and hopes of a third instalment at its world premiere on Tuesday night.

[Spoiler Alert] The exorcism story spends the first half establishing the geography of the main location. It takes viewers to 1970s north London where single mother Peggy Enfield (Frances O'Connor), living in a squeaky council house, struggles to come to terms with an apparent demonic possession of her youngest daughter (Madison Wolfe).

Wan uses his camera to near-perfection to establish the significance of the location. It zips up and down, ducking round corners like a restless spirit. The director successfully establishes an eerie slow pace that is not boring at all. Instead, what it does is develop an attachment to the characters, not only with the Enfields and their associates, but also the real-life American ghost-hunters, Ed and Lorraine Warren, portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.

Wan does not miss out on even the minute details for portraying 70s London. He correctly depicts poverty in a very matter-of-fact and realistic way with the Warrens’ middle class life. Some may find faults with the plot, but “The Conjuring 2” scores high because of Wan’s terrifying tricks that are almost supernatural. Even the most trifle of objects visible in the frame scream malevolence. His framing, pace and tension-packed atmosphere make the haunting house come alive in every supernatural detail.

When asked on a possible third instalment, Wan said that he would need to see viewer’s reaction this weekend to analyse. However, he also pointed out that as the Warrens have many stories to tell, they can be more movies. Actress Vera Farmiga bluntly said that she is game for more. Screenwriters Chad and Carey Hayes also said that they have a third movie in mind.

According to Variety, Wilson was surprised to see that the franchise did so well. “The Conjuring” grossed a total of US$320 million (AU$429 million) worldwide.

“At that point, I knew it would work, but not this well,” he said while explaining how he took the role of Ed Warren more than four years ago.

Making her film debut in “The Conjuring 2,” Lauren Esposito, who plays Margaret Hodgson, noted that the director took every precautionary step right from the first day of filming. He even had priests come and bless the set.

Horror junkies who have a thing for the supernatural have known the names Ed and Lorraine Warren much before the first movie released. They were popular American demonologists who founded the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952 and claimed to have investigated more than 10,000 cases of paranormal activities. They have numerous books on paranormal investigation to their credit.

Ed died in 2006 but Lorraine continued with her investigations. She runs the Occult Museum located at the back of their house in Monroe, Connecticut.

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