‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ marks the final chapter for Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) after 12 years in the supernatural horror franchise. The film draws inspiration from the alleged Smurl family haunting that terrorised a Pennsylvania family during the 1980s. Unlike previous instalments, this concluding entry faces the monumental task of wrapping up more than a decade of interconnected mythology while delivering a compelling farewell story.
The movie brings together the entire Warren family, including daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson), for one final confrontation with demonic forces that have haunted them since the beginning.
Previous ‘Conjuring’ films followed a predictable pattern. Father Gordon (Steve Coulter) calls the Warrens to investigate a case; they discover a demon and resolve the situation through exorcism. ‘Last Rites’ immediately signals its departure from this formula.
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The story opens with young Ed and Lorraine Warren (Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor) on their first case. Lorraine, heavily pregnant at the time, encounters a cursed mirror in an antique shop. The mirror serves as a conduit for a powerful demon that previously drove the shop owner to suicide.
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Despite Ed's concerns about her condition, Lorraine insists on examining the cursed object. When she touches the mirror, it cracks, and the demon attacks her unborn child. Lorraine goes into early labour and gives birth to a stillborn baby girl at the hospital, where the demon has followed them. Miraculously, the baby is revived, and the couple names her Judy.
The main timeline reveals that Ed and Lorraine have retired from active investigation following Ed's heart attack in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’. They now focus on lecturing and spending time with family and friends. Lorraine firmly refuses to take new cases.
However, when Father Gordon attempts to help the Smurl family on his own, the demon manipulates him into taking his own life. Devastated by the loss and plagued by her inherited clairvoyant abilities, Judy runs away to assist the Smurls. Ed and Lorraine reluctantly follow to retrieve their daughter, accompanied by Judy's fiancé, Tony (Ben Hardy).
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The investigation reveals that the cursed mirror from the opening sequence now resides in the Smurl family's attic. The mirror was given to the family as a gift and serves as the demon's primary tool for manipulation. The entity uses mirror shards to physically harm the family, even lodging glass in one child's throat.
The haunting becomes deeply personal when Judy falls seriously ill, and the demon possesses her. Under its control, she terrorises the Smurl family while Ed and Tony struggle to remove the mirror from the house. The demon reveals its true plan: it has waited years for another opportunity to claim Judy's soul, ever since she was revived after her stillborn birth.
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After evacuating the Smurl family, the Warrens prepare for their ultimate confrontation with the demon. The possessed mirror proves to be their most challenging cursed object yet. When Judy is freed from possession following a near-death experience, the demon shifts its focus to Tony, attempting to kill him.
The traditional exorcism approach fails against this powerful entity. Lorraine realises the key to victory lies in Judy accepting and embracing her inherited supernatural abilities rather than suppressing them. The demon remains unnamed throughout the film, but its malevolent desire for destruction gives it unprecedented strength, even destroying Ed's bible during the battle.
Working together as a family unit, Ed, Lorraine, and Judy successfully banish the demon and save Tony's life. The film notes that the real Smurl family continued living peacefully in their house for three more years after the Warren investigation.
Unlike previous ‘Conjuring’ films that left possibilities for future stories, ‘Last Rites’ provides absolute closure. Following their successful Pennsylvania case, the Warrens return to Monroe, Connecticut, for Judy's wedding to Tony.
The wedding sequence serves as a reunion for the entire ‘Conjuring’ Universe. Past characters attend as guests, including Lili Taylor's Carolyn Perron from the original film, Frances O'Connor and Madison Wolfe as Peggy and Janet Hodgson from ‘The Conjuring 2’, and David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard) from ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’. Franchise creator James Wan makes a special cameo appearance as a wedding guest.
During the reception, Lorraine shares a vision of their future with Ed. She sees them enjoying retirement, becoming grandparents, mentoring the next generation of paranormal investigators, and growing old together. The film concludes with information about the real Ed and Lorraine Warren's lives, including their controversies, legacy, and eventual deaths.
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‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ provides complete narrative closure, answering lingering questions and giving longtime fans a satisfying conclusion. The film establishes that Judy will continue the family legacy while Ed and Lorraine enjoy their well-deserved retirement.
By connecting the demon's origin to Judy's birth and the family's earliest case, the movie creates a full-circle narrative that validates the entire franchise's journey. The wedding finale celebrates not just Judy's new beginning but the Warren family's triumph over the forces that have pursued them for decades.
The definitive ending suggests no immediate plans for continuation with these characters, marking a true conclusion to the core ‘Conjuring’ storyline that began in 2013.
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