⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Excellent)

Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: (voices of) Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Idris Elba, Dominic West
Certificate: U
Run Time: 103 mins

‘Finding Dory’ is the long-awaited sequel to 2003’s masterpiece that was ‘Finding Nemo’ that resonated with critics and audiences alike and is generally ranked as one of Pixar’s best films. Pixar have been under fire for concentrating on sequels and not focusing on original films as much, which is displayed by their track record for sequels. Other than the ‘Toy Story’ trilogy, Pixar sequels haven’t been as strong critically compared to their original films, but due to brand recognition have earned a lot of money at the box office. Now I personally liked ‘Cars 2’ and ‘Monsters University’ very much and didn’t find there to be a dip in quality, instead finding them both to be charming films but I can understand the argument and why people might be a little trepidatious. Returning to direct this film is Andrew Stanton who had hoped to break free of the animation genre but was responsible for the box-office bomb that was ‘John Carter’ so he is back to doing what he does best. Most of the original voice cast return but this time, Dory, voiced once again by Ellen DeGeneres, takes centre stage and this film is about her trying to reunite with her parents in conjunction with Marlin and Nemo. It’s taken 13 years for this film to come to fruition so here’s hoping it was all worth it.

‘Finding Dory’ is  an endlessly entertaining sequel that is peppered with clever humour and it’s also a rather poignant film that explores some very thought-provoking themes. It’s not quite as good as ‘Finding Nemo’, but it doesn’t simply retread the same narrative again instead choosing to tackle some different themes. The animation, in true Pixar fashion, is stunning and the film manages to successfully introduce and develop new characters that I am sure audiences will come to love.

In pure Pixar fashion, ‘Finding Dory’ tests the emotions very early on in the film and the first 5 minutes of the film which details Dory’s childhood is beautifully realised and captivating – I was almost on the verge of shedding tears. It tackles the themes of family and disability head-on and it is wonderful to see Dory’s character develop as she grows in confidence so that she can live and interact with others despite suffering with short-term memory loss. There are many other outstanding sequences throughout the film and the rest of the story takes place in the Marine Life Institute where Dory meets like-minded individuals who also have their own difficulties, a short-sighted whale shark named Destiny and a beluga whale named Bailey who following a concussion has temporarily lost the ability to echolocate. Originally, the film was to be set in a Sea World-like location but after Pixar executives watched a documentary called ‘Blackfish’ which details the dangers of keeping orca whales in captivity, they decided to revise the ending which is why the film got delayed and last year’s, ‘The Good Dinosaur’ took this film’s slot so that the film could be reworked. This would have been a controversial choice should they have wished to have proceeded with the original story and whilst that could have been more emotional, Pixar have opted for the crowd-pleaser option so not to stir any controversy.

The characters, both old and new that ‘Finding Dory’ involves are wonderfully realised and developed and by the end of the film, these characters are and will most definitely amongst audiences, be associated with this material. The standout is Hank, an octopus who has lost a tentacle (who Dory refers to as a ‘septopus’) who Dory encounters in Quarantine early on in the film and he is voiced by Ed O’Neill who is endlessly charismatic and lovable and he steals the show. The combination of Idris Elba and Dominic West as two sea lions, Fluke and Rudder, are also given some great lines in the script and are easy to connect to. Elba has starred in 3 of the Top 5 highest grossing films of the year so far by Disney – this, ‘Zootopia’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ and is loosely connected to ‘Captain America: Civil War’ as he plays Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so perhaps he is a good luck charm for Disney? Regardless in the three films that he has been, he’s stolen the show in all of them which is testament to his ability to excel in voice roles. Of the old characters, Ellen DeGeneres, of course excels again this time in the titular role and Albert Brooks is also very strong as Marlin – it’s a shame he doesn’t act more often.

Thomas Newman’s score also manages to distinguish itself from ‘Finding Nemo’ which he also scored and here the score is much more subdued and it is one of the best works he has done recently.

Overall, ‘Finding Dory’ is an absolute delight from its start to finish and is another winner from Pixar. It’s refreshing to see a sequel that doesn’t rehash its predecessor and ‘Finding Dory’ manages to be a film that stands up in its own right. The character development is fantastic here and the film is suitably full of heart like the majority of Pixar’s films are. Hopefully, director Andrew Stanton will continue to find success in this genre as 3 out of his 4 films have been for Pixar and they’ve all been strong (Wall-E less so) but if he does try and have another crack at a live-action film, I would be happy to watch it as he still is able to handle characters and script very well – it’s just a shame that ‘John Carter’ turned out the way it did. But otherwise, ‘Finding Dory’ is another win for Pixar and Disney and is another exemplary animation film in a genre that keeps on going from strength to strength.

 (Excellent)

The short film that precedes ‘Finding Dory’, ‘Piper’ is also wonderful and it is some of the most realistic animation that I have ever seen and the attention to detail is sublime. It is a little thin on story compared to some other shorts that Pixar have done, but it’s still very impressive.

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall, Bill Hader
Certificate: PG
Run Time: 117 mins

After doing well at the box office and landing six Academy Award nominations (of which it ultimately won one) with ‘Bridge of Spies’, Steven Spielberg returns in the director’s chair with an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved novel, ‘The BFG’. This is not the first time that Dahl’s novel has been translated onto the big screen – in 1989, Cosgrove Hall Animations (their only film) produced an animated version of this book which managed to capture the energy of the book and was delightful.  Spielberg has enlisted the help of Mark Rylance to play the titular character, who won an Oscar for his brilliant performance in last year’s ‘Bridge of Spies’ and this is the second of what appears to be many collaborations between the two talented individuals. This is also the final script to be written by Melissa Mathison, who most famously penned Spielberg’s ‘E.T. The Extra Terrestrial’, who died late last year from cancer. This novel also has a particularly special place in my childhood as it was one of my favourite books that Roald Dahl wrote. So Spielberg has a lot of pressure here but if done right, this rendition of ‘The BFG’ could not only improve on the animated film but with live-action and the scope for some fantastic visual effects, audiences could be in for a treat.

‘The BFG’ is at times, utterly spellbinding and there are many outstanding sequences within the film that are truly spectacular to behold. It is also visually stunning and there are many visual moments in the film which had me in awe. Mark Rylance is also a perfect match as the titular character and is very faithful to Roald Dahl’s description. However, a highly problematic middle section of the film almost ruins this affair as does an equally problematic script by Melissa Mathieson which both unfortunately really knock the film down. That’s not to say the film is a failure but I am a little disappointed that the film is not a triumph as it should have been on paper.

The casting here is rather hit-and-miss. On the one hand, Mark Rylance’s performance as the titular character is, as mentioned, perfect and both Jemaine Clement and Bill Hader are very entertaining as the antagonistic giants, Fleshlumpeater and Bloodbottler. Newcomer Ruby Barnhill plays the main protagonist, a young orphan named Sophie and although she is generally sound, Barnhill does struggle a little where the film warrants a little more emotion. It’s always good to see Penelope Wilton in a film and here as the Queen, she provides a lot of comic relief in her small role. However, Rebecca Hall, a normally very talented actress who has had some great roles in the past is completely miscast here as the Queen’s maid – Hall comes across as awkward and devoid of any emotion in her role.

Although the film is very true to Roald Dahl’s novel in many places, the story does change a little towards the end of the film which is rather disappointing as it’s not needed. The late Melissa Mathison’s script proves to be a detrimental issue for the overall film and I suspect that the finished product from what Spielberg has directed here is merely a draft. The script is really poor in parts, in particular in the middle act of the film with an overlong dream sequence that should have been stunning but is instead almost completely botched. Mathison is very faithful to Dahl’s dialogue but a lot of the script feels forced and disjointed and the film really suffers for it. There is also a lot of attempts at forced humour which completely backfires and at times, the film is aggressively unfunny. It would have been extremely beneficial if Spielberg had arranged a rewrite or editing of the script to iron out these problems but unfortunately this has not happened, almost certainly due to Spielberg’s faith in the late writer.

The visual effects are where the film really wow’s and the lands that have been created are simply stunning, especially inside The BFG’s cave. The attention to detail is outstanding not just in the world-building but with the giants. The appearance of Mark Rylance’s BFG is very faithful to Dahl’s novel as are the other giants – there is a sequence mid-way through the film where the other giants bully the BFG by throwing him around on a truck and visually, it’s a treat to behold. John William’s score is excellent here too – there are many memorable themes, in particular when The BFG whisks Sophie from the orphanage into Giant Country is a stunning sequence in terms of William’s score.

Overall, ‘The BFG’ has plenty of promise and there are many sequences that are utterly spellbinding in their execution and Mark Rylance owns the role as the titular character. However, Mathison’s highly problematic script and the film’s middle section, which is a real slog, really do weigh the film down which hinder the quality of the overall film. Spielberg’s vision improves on the 1989 animated film visually and there are some individual sequences that really work but in my opinion, the 1989 animated film is ultimately the better film as it is able to better encapsulate the magic of Roald Dahl’s flawless novel and is much better paced. But if you want to be wowed with top-class visual effects and a strong first and third act, Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of ‘The BFG’ is a good one.

 (Good)

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: David Yates
Starring: Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou, Christoph Waltz, Jim Broadbent, Casper Crump, Simon Russell Beale
Certificate: 12A
Run Time: 110 mins

‘The Legend of Tarzan’ is the latest effort to bring Edgar Rice Burrough’s iconic character to the big screen and this is director David Yates’ first theatrical film outside of the Harry Potter franchise of which he was responsible for the final four films. Tarzan has always been a problematic character to translate into film – recent attempts include Kellan Lutz’s 2013 motion capture performance and Casper Van Dien’s 1998 effort of which both recived very bad reviews. Yates is a fine choice for a director for this material – the Harry Potter films that he directed were atmospheric, heartfelt and had some terrific action sequences. The cast assembled here is also stellar comprising of Alexander Skarsgård as the titular character with Margot Robbie as Jane and rounded off by Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou and Christoph Waltz, the latter playing the villain. With a cast this good and a great team behind the camera, this has got to be a surefire hit, right?

‘The Legend of Tarzan’ is endlessly entertaining and frequently atmospheric, almost poetic in its assured direction by David Yates at times and the film’s strong cast allow this film to thrive. The film is very well-paced and the action sequences are exhilarating at times. Unfortunately, the film has not been received well by the critics as the film boasts a disappointing 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes so far, many citing it as an empty, hollow film which I can understand as this film is not without its flaws. Alexander Skarsgård does lack charisma as the titular character but excels in the action sequences but luckily this isn’t too much of a problem and the visual effects are a little ‘ropey’ at times. But these issues do not harm, what is generally a pretty good film, too much as its direction and entertaining storyline more than make up for it.

What allows ‘The Legend of Tarzan’ to be so entertaining is its talented cast who are able to transform what would otherwise be rather two-dimensional characters into characters that we care about and empathise with. Samuel L. Jackson, already having a fantastic year so far, is the standout yet again. He plays the historic George Washington Williams who persuades and accompanies Tarzan on his quest and he is given much of the comic relief in the script. Margot Robbie is also strong as Tarzan’s love interest, Jane, and she doesn’t resort to being a damsel-in-distress which is refreshing for a film in this genre. The main antagonist, Léon Rohm, played by Christoph Waltz is menacing and is a real threat to the protagonists. Although Waltz has his detractors who complain that he plays the same character over and over again, he does, but it does suit the material so I have no issue with this. Djimon Hounsou also is a worthy foe who is equally menacing and the film also has more of an extended cameo by veteran stage actor, Simon Russell Beale who also delivers a quality performance. As mentioned, Alexander Skarsgård is the weak link as the titular character as he does lack charisma and personality but it’s not too big of a problem as he isn’t given too many lines and he is great in the action sequences.

The film’s story doesn’t just recycle the traditional Tarzan story – this film is part prequel / origin story / sequel in terms of storyline to other films and this is a refreshing change for the material and allows Yates to a chance to breathe new life into the material. Yates is a great match for this material and there are numerous sequences that are near-perfect which he is able to conjure a very atmospheric tone and the film allows the audience to take a breath and take in this wonderful world that he has created. Rupert Gregson-William’s score is very fitting and there are some outstanding musical cues in the film, particular in the film’s opening.

However, the film is not without its flaws. The visual effects are rather lacking in places, surprisingly so considering the film had a $180 million budget and all of the Harry Potter films that Yates directed were visually stunning. In line with the critics, the film does feel empty and hollow at times as the film cannot quite rid itself of cliches at times and Skarsgård’s portrayal of Tarzan is rather wooden which doesn’t help when the main actor cannot match the rest of the cast. But the mixed reviews are very unfair as Yates has done an admirable job with the material and his strong direction allows the film to be very atmospheric at times.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with ‘The Legend of Tarzan’ as I had initially been worried with the mixed reviews, but I found this film to be very entertaining with some strong action sequences complimented by assured direction by David Yates. It’s alarming how little faith Warner Brothers have in their product – they haven’t particularly pushed the film in its marketing and have kept rather quiet once the mixed reviews came in. If they had pushed the film more, we could even be getting a sequel as the film has performed well at the box office so far thanks to audiences and as the film is generally good quality, it’s a shame that it cannot be allowed to achieve its full potential.

 (Good)

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Chris Renaud & Yarrow Cheney
Starring: (voices of) Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Steve Coogan, Albert Brooks
Certificate: U
Run Time: 90 mins

‘The Secret Life of Pets’ is the latest offering by Illumination Entertainment, most famous for the ‘Despicable Me’ franchise with the rest of their films (‘Hop’ and ‘The Lorax’) receiving middling reviews. This film sets to buck that trend and further establish a foothold in the animation industry for this production company. As the title suggests, this film is an imagining of what pets get up to when their owners leave them alone and this story draws many obvious parallels with Disney Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ only substituting toys for pets and these comparisons are going to be hard to shake off in the film’s reception. With such strong competition in the animation sector this year in the form of ‘Anomalisa’, ‘Zootropolis’ and ‘Finding Dory’, is there a place for ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ in a crowded year for it to shine?

‘The Secret Life of Pets’ is harmless fun that will appeal to both children and adults – it is almost always entertertaining and quite funny in places even if its pacing is uneven and the narrative plays it a little too safe and doesn’t particularly have any emotional arcs. It boasts a strong voice cast and the characters are well-developed with the standout being Kevin Hart’s villainous rabbit.Even though it is second-rate compared to Disney / Pixar’s standards and it’s not going to win any awards, this is simple, harmless entertainment – nothing more, nothing less.

What makes this film tick is undoubtedly the chemistry between the well-developed characters voiced by a strong cast. Louis C.K. as Max, a Jack Russell terrier who is the main protagonist is very charismatic and easily relatable and as an audience, we really feel his shock when he is forced to turn around his life to share his home with a new pet, Duke, voiced by Eric Stonestreet. Both actors have a wonderful chemistry together and although the narrative has its problems and of course, they undoubtedly befriend each other, their relationship still comes across as very natural and not coerced at all. Kevin Hart’s villain, a white rabbit is the standout here and although I have my reservations about Hart as an actor, here he is just downright excellent. I would be willing to even watch a spin-off if one were to be made that focussed on his character – he is that good! Steve Coogan and Albert Brooks also do a good job here in their small roles but are underused and the rest of the cast are solid, but not particularly memorable.

The story does play it a little safe here and it is rather conventional but the film still manages to be very entertaining. The ways in which these pets spend their days is very creative and the film is always well-intentioned. What the film lacks and why it cannot reach the lofty standards set by Disney and Pixar is it lacks a moral – there isn’t really any inspiration one can take from this film and implement this in real life. It lacks an emotional arc as well which all the best animation films have, the nearest being a sequence explaining the back story of Duke but this is glossed over too quickly for it to make a meaningful impact.

Visually, the animation is very convincing here in particular how New York has been imagined – it feels very life-like and there is a great attention to detail. Alexandre Desplat’s score is quite brash and choppy in places but there are some good sequences here where the score compliments the film very well – not one of his best scores but serviceable.

‘The Secret Life of Pets’ might not be one of the greatest animated films to grace our screens but it is a welcome retreat and despite its flaws, it is a well-intentioned film that is always entertaining. The characters are by far its biggest strength and they are all generally well-developed and this is complimented by the strong voice cast, most notably Kevin Hart’s evil rabbit steals the show. I suppose Illumination have achieved what they set out to do – start off another franchise which this does admirably well – no doubt we’ll be getting sequels to this and with a better story next time, I wouldn’t hesitate to watch these characters again.

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

⭐⭐ (Poor)

Director: Jon M. Chu
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Daniel Radcliffe, Lizzy Caplan, Jay Chou, Sanaa Lathan, Henry Lloyd Hughes, David Warshofsky, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman
Certificate: 12A
Run Time: 129 mins

‘Now You See Me’ was a surprise hit in 2013 and ended up being very profitable grossing just over $350 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. Although reviews were decidedly mixed, audiences generally seemed to like it so enough for this film to warrant a sequel. I had some with the first film – it’s a light-hearted, silly but entertaining caper however it’s very haphazardly directed and isn’t particularly intelligent. ‘Now You See Me 2’ sees the original cast return with the exception of Melanie Laurent and Isla Fisher, the latter due to pregnancy and she is now replaced by a new female character played by Lizzy Caplan. Now alarm bells should have started ringing  at Lionsgate / Summit in terms of the crew – when you think of a good director to carry on a franchise that wasn’t particularly great to start with who could possibly improve on the first film and fix its problems, how on earth does Jon M. Chu come into the mix?! Chu is behind films such as ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ and ‘Jem and the Holograms’ – both very negatively received and he is also behind a lot of the ‘Step Up’ films which perhaps could be the reason why he was employed based on the strength of their choreography but it is still a baffling choice.

‘Now You See Me 2’ has exactly the same problems as the first film but even more so –  its plot is preposterous and the film finds itself in a constant muddle as it overcomplicates itself. There are zero stakes for the protagonists as the viewer knows that everything will work out well for them in the end. Chu’s direction is as expected very sloppy and Peter Deming’s camera work is too choppy and grainy. The toothless action sequences are particularly badly handled and it’s very hard to make any sense of what is being portrayed on-screen. However this is not all to say that ‘Now You See Me 2’ is a ‘bad’ film – although completely unmemorable, there are a couple of sequences that are interesting and allow the film to temporarily come together and there are a couple of good performances from its cast.

The biggest problem with the film is undoubtedly its incomprehensible story that is so concerned with outdoing the first film’s story that the film falls head over heels and defies belief. This is particularly true with the film’s climax which is extremely stupid and uninspired – you’ll know it when you see it. For all the first film’s flaws, there was still a degree of ‘magic’ involved even though it turned into more of a Louis Leterrier action movie as it went along but here, any magic that the first film managed to conjure is totally bereft here. Unfortunately this is the result when studio executives get greedy and try to replicate the success of the first film.

In terms of the cast, the film bears a strong cast just as the first one did and this time, the Horseman are pitted against Walter Mabry, portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe, who is the technology tycoon / illegitimate son of Arthur Tressler who Michael Caine plays. Radcliffe gives it his all and doesn’t do a bad job at all in a villain role. Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco and Woody Harrelson return as the Horseman and all are great again although without going into spoiler territory, Harrelson’s character is badly meddled with in the storytelling department – you’ll know it when you see it. Lizzy Caplan unfortunately isn’t as talented an actress as Isla Fisher is and although there are some interesting feminist undertones the film attempts to develop, Caplan’s character resorts to a shouty and annoying one. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo, three exceptionally talented actors are always endlessly watchable but a real surprise in this film is Henry Lloyd-Hughes who has more of a cameo here does a great job with the material that he has been given.

Unfortunately, ‘Now You See Me 2’ is a film this Summer that is one to skip as it has exactly the same problems as is the original only even more so. These films are also part of a small genre where they are dwarfed by greats such as Christopher Nolan’s, ‘The Prestige’ and Neil Burger’s, ‘The Illusionist’ – two very interesting films, Nolan’s being a masterpiece that are much more subtle and more intelligent in their execution. How these films attempt to make their own mark is by being more of an action-caper film but both films, the sequel more so are both lazily handled and the creative talent behind the camera for both films leaves more to be desired. But ultimately, ‘Now You See Me 2’ is a very lazy film that has a preposterous storyline that although at the time may seem entertaining in parts is completely forgettable and it is time for this series to be left alone. Let’s face it, it was never very good in the first place.

⭐⭐ (Poor)

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: James Wan
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O’Connor, Madison Wolfe, Simon McBurney, Franke Potente, Lauren Esposito
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 134 mins

The Conjuring 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2013 original that breathed new life into the horror genre and propelled director James Wan‘s career. What the original did so well was it used well-established concepts of horror (some may argue clichés) but Wan was still able to create a frightening, intense film that also featured a wonderful cast. It was one of my favourite films of 2013. Whilst many had assumed Insidious: Chapter 2 (another great series that Wan has created) was the director’s swansong after moving on to the big-budget action sequel Furious 7, Wan has returned to direct the sequel to arguably his most well-recieved film before moving on to tackling the DC comic book superhero, Aquaman. Moving away from  Rhode Island where the Perron family were terrorised by supernatural forces, The Conjuring 2 is set in Enfield in London where this time the Hodgson family require help from the Warrens, the famous paranormal investigators that this franchise is circled around.

The Conjuring 2 isn’t as strong as its predecessor – it is overlong which severely impacts the pacing  and just isn’t quite as interesting a story as the first one was. However, Wan delivers in spades on the scare-front and the film has some truly frightening sequences and also there are some great performances from the cast. Only Wan could have made or been given permission to make this film as 134 minutes for a horror film is uncommonly long and whilst there is a lot of character development (and self-indulgence), 20 minutes could fairly easily have been chopped off and the film would almost be as strong as the original. This is definitely its main problem which is to its detriment and the film does bear many similarities to William Friedkin’s The Exorcist and there are a couple of moments where the film leaves a bit of a sour taste as it reiterates many of the clichéd elements of superior horror films. Whilst this all may sound negative, it isn’t – coming off a near-perfect original  was always going to be impossible and whilst this is still a strong film, it does have its fair share of problems.

The cast here are great again – both Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson give very assured performances but it’s the new additions to the cast that really get a chance to shine. The standout is Madison Wolfe who plays the possessed victim, Janet Hodgson to a tee – I only found out afterwards that she is in fact, American which is testament to her authentic performance and I hope she will get a lot of work due to the strength of her performance here. Frances O’Connor, who plays the desperate and genuinely terrified mother of the Hodgson family is also very good here as is Simon McBurney who plays a fellow paranormal investigator, Maurice Grosse although his performance is a little hammy but it adds to the fun and excitement.

As with its predecessor, The Conjuring 2 is also based on what is supposedly a true story – the film doesn’t try and argue why it is but I would take the story with a pinch of salt. For example, the Warren’s in fact had only been two of many paranormal investigators and it would seem as if many of the events in the film have been dramatised. The story is strong and has a nice twist in its final act, but the film does bear a lot of similarities to The Exorcist. Whilst in The Conjuring, Wan was able to build upon existing codes and conventions of the horror genre, he does do so here too but here the similarities are a little too apparent and lessen the impact of the story the film it is trying to tell. The script is a little clunky in places unfortunately and characters such as the Warren’s daughter, Judy and cameraman Drew from the first film are sidelined which is a shame. Don Burgess takes over on cinematography duties from John R. Leonetti’s sterling work on the first film and he does an admirable job – there are a couple of really creepy and atmospheric shots but unfortunately without loses some originality from Leonetti’s work. Joseph Bishara’s score is very good here and he blends old themes with some new ones here to make the film refreshing.

Although The Conjuring 2 ultimately is a little disappointing coming off the near-perfect original, it still serves a lot of spine-tingling sequences in conjunction with its great cast. James Wan has clearly shown that he has a masterful understanding of the horror genre even if the film does slide into convention at times. However, the fact remains that the film is overlong and it is to the film’s detriment as at times, it really does sidle along and there are too many filler scenes that enhance the film’s length for no added purpose. However as a horror sequel, The Conjuring 2 is very strong and for all its shortcomings, is ultimately a scary treat that successfully expands on the groundwork of the first film.

 (Good)