A disquietingly sinuous haunted-house movie that has a healthy understanding of its own silliness

''To conjure'' originally meant to summon a devil, but then it became a word for magic tricks. In his latest horror confection, James Wan gives us both meanings.

Sadie knows. The dog always knows not to go into the haunted house. But since this was 1971, and the world, much less Rhode Island's Perron family, had not seen "The Exorcist" and the generations of ultra-realistic horror movies and "Ghost Hunters" TV shows that followed, they didn't see heed the dog's warnings. The Perrons…

Getting a blood transfusion of molten steel is possibly the only way you’ll stay in your seat all the way through this haunted house movie. No blood is spilled,

Haunted-house thriller delivers consistent chills and thrills.

James Wan continues to re-invigorate horror, one picture at a time

Director James Wan ("Saw," "Insidious") has crafted a wickedly effective horror crowd-pleaser -- taking well-worn elements of the genre (from a long list of classics including "The Exorcist," "Poltergeist" and "The Birds") and recombining them using solid actors, a minimum of splatter, and a carefully engineered sense of dread. It isn't particularly deep, but it's a grab-your-seatmate good time at the haunted house.

Watching "The Conjuring" is like getting a tour of a haunted house attraction from someone that pushes, and pulls you through every room. There's nothing really scary about Wan's latest because there's nothing particularly mysterious, or inviting about its proceedings. The film's relentlessly lame expository dialogue, and tedious parade of jump scares are overwhelming in the worst way possible.

In "The Conjuring," filmmaker James Wan opts for old-school restraint over gore in an effective throwback to ’70s supernatural horror-thrillers.

Classy old-school horror, James Wan’s “The Conjuring’’ depends more on its excellent cast and atmospheric direction than cheap gimmicks to raise hairs...

The Conjuring represents a member of an increasingly endangered species: the R-rated horror movie that relies more on suspense and scares than blood and gore. That's not to say there are no instances of horrific, stomach-churning visuals in The ...

Saw director James Wan delivers predictable but powerful shocks in this spooker about a pair of real-life paranormal investigators, writes Henry Barnes