The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) Reviews, Opinions, and Reception – A Comprehensive Look

Welcome to What’s After the Movie, your go‑to hub for movie summaries, box‑office data, quizzes, and deep‑dive analysis. In this post we unpack the critical and user reception of The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) using real reviews from major outlets and everyday fans. Dive in to see how the film stacks up, why opinions are so divided, and where you can explore more on our movie page, summary page, box‑office stats, and even test your knowledge with our Conjuring quiz.

---

Critical Reception of The Conjuring: Last Rites – Mixed Scores, Common Themes

The critical landscape for The Conjuring: Last Rites is a study in contrast. On Metacritic the film lands in the mid‑60s, reflecting a blend of praise for its family‑drama heart and disappointment over its diminished scares.

• The New York Times bluntly calls it “a disappointing send‑off; more an eccentric family drama than a real chiller.” (Score 50) – a sentiment echoed by The Seattle Times, which notes “the dour drudgery… it’s time to move on from their story.”
• Conversely, The Times and The Telegraph highlight the film’s atmospheric closure, awarding it an 80. The Telegraph even praises the director Michael Chaves as a “skilful enough craftsman” deserving “parole to pastures new.”

Mid‑range voices such as New York Magazine (Vulture) (60) and IGN (60) recognize the film’s return to the franchise’s core – a haunted house – but lament its pacing: “After a strong first act, the intended finale disappoints, keeping Ed and Lorraine away from the action for too long.”

Slashfilm (70) and Collider (70) provide a more balanced view, noting the film’s effective family dynamics and strong performances from Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, and the supporting cast. Collider especially applauds the “strong thread throughout the series” that ties back to the original film’s opening.

From an analyst’s perspective, the spread of scores (40–80) points to a split between critics who value narrative closure and those who prioritize the horror punch‑line. The recurring phrase “family dynamics” appears in four major reviews, indicating that the emotional core is the most discussed element.

What’s After the Movie makes it easy to compare these critic scores side‑by‑side – head over to our movie wiki for a full rating matrix and see how the film stacks against the earlier Conjuring entries.

---

Audience Reaction – From “Must‑See” Fans to “Boring” Detractors

User reviews paint a broader picture of polarized fan sentiment. On the user‑rating side, scores range from a perfect 5 (Mike) to an abysmal 0.5 (Moshe). The most common adjectives revolve around “boring,” “slow,” and “not scary.”

• Positive voice: Mike (5) declares the series “phenomenal” and recommends the finale, while Jay (4) gives it a respectable 7/10, admitting the film is “ok” but noting the earlier entries were stronger.
• Mixed feedback: Fernando C (3) appreciates “some good moments” but craves deeper demon lore, asking for a break and new stories from the franchise’s “awful room.” Ivan (2.5) calls it a “fun watch” yet “nothing original.”
• Negative chorus: Julio D (1.5) and Chad (1) both label the movie “boring” and “not scary at all.” Anis B (1) goes as far as “Worst movie I have seen in my whole life.”

The user sentiment aligns with the critical split: fans who love the franchise’s mythology celebrate the emotional closure, while those seeking fresh scares feel let down. Notably, the family‑centric focus is a double‑edged sword—Jude Kenneth S (4) enjoys the “very scary, very gruesome” aspects, whereas Jason S (1) criticizes the shift away from a haunting family narrative to a “Warrens‑and‑daughter” drama.

These user voices highlight a crucial SEO keyword cluster: Conjuring fan reactions, The Conjuring Last Rites audience reviews, horror fan disappointment, all of which we have indexed on our movie page for quick reference.

---

How the Reception Compares to Earlier Conjuring Installments

When we juxtapose the reception of Last Rites with its predecessors, several patterns emerge:

1. Critical Trajectory: The original The Conjuring (2013) earned strong critical acclaim (Metacritic 68) for its fresh take on haunted‑house horror. Subsequent sequels—The Conjuring 2 (2016) and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)—saw a gradual dip in scores, primarily due to franchise fatigue. Last Rites continues that trend but introduces a “family‑drama” twist that critics either praise as “suitably shiver‑inducing farewell” (The Times, 80) or dismiss as “eccentric family drama” (NYT, 50).

2. Audience Expectation: Early fans consistently rated the franchise above 4/5, citing atmospheric tension and strong performances. In contrast, the Last Rites audience split is sharper—Mike (5) stands out as a die‑hard fan, but the bulk of users hover around 2–3, reflecting disappointment with the shift away from pure horror.

3. Common Complaint – Lack of New Scares: Both critics and users frequently mention a shortage of fresh scares. IGN (60) notes the central duo is sidelined too long, while Moshe (0.5) says “Ghosts looked funny not scary.” This mirrors a recurring criticism for the franchise’s later installments: reliance on formulaic jump‑scares over inventive terror.

4. Positive Outlier – Emotional Closure: The highest‑rated critics (The Times, The Telegraph, Slashfilm) celebrate the “graceful farewell” and “family dynamics.” This mirrors the feedback from Mike (5) and Jay (4), who appreciate the emotional resolution, showing a clear divide between horror purists and narrative‑driven viewers.

Our award page and concert‑film section both track how fan‑driven metrics evolve, and you’ll notice a similar trend in other long‑running horror franchises—closure can be as polarizing as the scares themselves.

---

Themes in the Reception – Horror vs. Family Drama, Nostalgia, and Franchise Fatigue

The central theme of the reviews is the tug‑of‑war between horror expectations and family‑drama storytelling. Critics such as The Film Verdict (40) lament that the franchise “finally gives up the ghost, not with a bang, but a whimper,” implying that the emotional weight failed to compensate for the reduced terror. Meanwhile, The Telegraph (80) praises Michael Chaves for evolving into a “skilful craftsman” who can pivot toward character‑driven narratives.

Nostalgia surfaces repeatedly. Collider (70) applauds the return to “the first film’s initial moments,” indicating that the series’ early emotional beats still resonate. On the other side, Sreeju Sudhakaran, LatestLY.com (negative) argues the film “wants to be both a haunting farewell and an emotional family drama, but ends up neither frightening nor compelling enough.” This reflects a broader fatigue: after five films, audiences crave either “new mythology” or “raw, visceral scares.”

From a SEO standpoint, key phrases such as “Conjuring franchise fatigue,” “horror vs family drama,” and “Michael Chaves directorial style” are highly searchable. Our platform capitalizes on these trends—explore them further on our profiles page to see the director’s full filmography and the actors’ career arcs.

---

What the Reception Means for Fans and the Future of the Franchise

Overall sentiment suggests The Conjuring: Last Rites serves as a divisive farewell: it satisfies those invested in the Warrens’ personal story while leaving pure horror enthusiasts craving more terror. For fans seeking a comprehensive conclusion, What’s After the Movie offers a curated summary and a full breakdown of “key moments, character arcs, and lingering unanswered questions.”

From a marketing perspective, this mixed reception creates an opportunity: create interactive quizzes that pit “Which Conjuring film are you?” against “Which horror element scares you most?” – perfect for our game page. Additionally, compiling a “Best and Worst of the Conjuring” list on our movie wiki can drive traffic from fans eager to debate the franchise’s highs and lows.

Looking ahead, the critical consensus hints that the studio might pivot toward spin‑offs focusing on other haunted objects (the infamous “Annabelle” or the “Diablo” case) rather than continuing the Warrens saga. Our box‑office page already tracks the diminishing returns of the final installment, offering insight for investors and fans alike.

Bottom line: The Conjuring: Last Rites earns praise for emotional closure but suffers from a lack of fresh scares, resulting in a polarized reception that mirrors the franchise’s evolution. Whether you’re a die‑hard fan or a casual horror viewer, What’s After the Movie equips you with all the data, summaries, and interactive tools you need to form your own opinion.

---

Outbound Links – Sources & Further Reading

Site	Link
IMDB	The Conjuring: Last Rites (IMDb)
TMDB	The Conjuring: Last Rites (TMDB)
Wikipedia	The Conjuring: Last Rites (Wikipedia)
Rotten Tomatoes	The Conjuring: Last Rites (Rotten Tomatoes)
Metacritic	The Conjuring: Last Rites (Metacritic)
JustWatch	The Conjuring: Last Rites (JustWatch)
Box Office Mojo	The Conjuring: Last Rites (Box Office Mojo)
Letterboxd	The Conjuring: Last Rites (Letterboxd)

---

Explore more reviews, detailed ratings, and interactive content at What’s After the Movie – your ultimate destination for movie insights!