The long-awaited third Conjuring movie moves away from the haunted house style horror of its predecessors in favor of a murder-mystery angle that naturally sports a strong supernatural element. The results are nothing short of a letdown. Not because of the new approach or anything, but rather the noticeable lack of James Wan at the helm. Director Michael Chavez proves to be a poor substitute for the longtime genre veteran, as despite having a compelling narrative to work with he is unable to bring any real terror to the table making the whole experience far more boring than it should have been. The actual story itself certainly covers some frightening material. Regardless of whether or not you believe in the demonic entities they worship, the existence of satanic cultists isn't something that can't be denied and their inclusion here does add an extra spine-chilling quality to the proceedings. The problem is that this tension never manifests itself onscreen. The attempts at scares are all of the generic exorcism variety and it gets so caught up in its own plotting that it almost forgets to include any for the entire middle portion of the film. While it lacks the thrills and chills we've come to expect from the series, it does at least still have the Warrens and in one of their more interesting cases to boot. Which counts for more than you might think. It's nice to see that more sentimental nature of The Conjuring 2 was not lost in this follow-up. Once again the bond between the paranormal investigating husband-and-wife duo is a core focus and wonderfully brought to life by the incredibly charming Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga who make these protagonists the most endearing opponents of unholy evil this side of the Insidious franchise. There's a emotional component added to the mix because of this that, along with the sight of child's body contorting under the influence of possession, actually got me a little teary-eyed in a few parts. Although ultimately ending up kind of dull to watch unfold, the concept alone is also fascinating enough to likely keep you engaged until the credits roll. It definitely inspired a desire in me to learn about the real event this is based on. If only to decide for myself whether or not I buy Arne Cheyenne's claims. If you're a fan of the previous two entries and the larger universe that's been built around them this may still be worth checking out for you. However, it's an unfulfilling continuation to some of the greatest works of modern horror that most devastatingly does little to raise the pulse or cause any feelings of unease in the absence of their original director. Chavez did do a respectable job and shows potential, but Wan's shoes were simply too big for him to step into. Leading to a very promising premise feeling like it went to waste in what is so far the biggest disappointment of 2021.