Conjuring the Cult

This film excels in delivering a captivating and suspenseful narrative. One of the film's standout aspects is its cleverly structured buildup to a series of startling revelations involving a mysterious cult. The initial premise of the protagonist, led by grief to a support group, seamlessly transitions into his eerie encounters with a coven poised to enact a sinister plan. This progression is handled with a deft touch, providing just enough foreshadowing to pique interest without diminishing the impact of the surprises that follow.

The storyline weaves together these elements into a compelling tapestry of horror and suspense that keeps the viewer engaged. Although the film occasionally struggles with repetitive sequences, these moments are overshadowed by its strengths, particularly the effective use of haunting imagery and a robust, ominous atmosphere that grips the audience. Overall, Conjuring the Cult provides a thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing experience, marking it as a noteworthy addition to the horror genre.

> Poor scene transitions, unconvincing make-up, weak acting, awkward camera angles, and mismatched music everywhere. The neck of the actress playing the gothic leader seems like it's the same in reality, too.

There's fog everywhere - even indoors, the rooms are shrouded in mist. Every attempt at creating an atmosphere falls flat.

I couldn't tell if I was watching a horror, a comedy, or some kind of experiment. All I know is I watched a disaster. I genuinely don't understand how it has an IMDb rating above 6. It's a movie that lacks direction, creativity, and coherence.

Truly a waste of time.

With the 2024 movie "Conjuring the Cult" being a horror movie that I had neither seen nor heard about, of course I opted to watch it, as I had the opportunity to do so here in 2025. I found the movie's cover to be alluringly interesting, and sat down to watch the movie with an open mind accessible to impressions, as I virtually didn't know what I was getting into here.

Writer and director Calvin Morie McCarthy put together a rather slow paced narrative. It was a storyline that sort of tried relying on atmosphere and slowly building up tension, but it sort of was too sluggishly paced to be really effective. At one hour into the 93 minute runtime nothing thrilling or particularly entertaining had happened, and I have to admit that my attention was drifting to other things than the movie.

I wasn't familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list, aside from Neil Green and Elissa Dowling, which is actually something that worked in favor of the movie. Yeah, I enjoy watching new and unfamiliar talents on the screen whenever I sit down to watch a movie. And I will say that the acting performances in "Conjuring the Cult" were adequate.

"Conjuring the Cult" was a swing and a miss of a movie. The narrative was simply too slow paced and uneventful to provide much of any entertainment value.

It should be noted, however, that the production was good, but it didn't count for much as the narrative was killing the viewing experience.

This is definitely not a movie that will grace my screen a second time, as it was quite the struggle to sit through it the first time around. Neither is it a movie that I would recommend horror fans to seek out.

My rating of writer and director Calvin Morie McCarthy's 2024 attempt at a horror movie lands on a generous three out of ten stars.

Conjuring the cult excels in its build-up and suspense, particularly through the well-crafted reveal of the cult's dark intentions. The transition from a grief-driven search to a chilling discovery is seamless, with each scene skillfully contributing to an increasingly tense atmosphere. The visual storytelling is particularly striking, blending eerie elements with a hauntingly beautiful cinematography that keeps the audience enthralled.

Despite its occasional reliance on dream sequences, the film uses this technique effectively to blur the lines between reality and nightmare, enhancing the emotional depth and complexity of the plot. Each twist and turn is delivered with precision, ensuring that the suspense never wanes.

Overall, this film is a masterful blend of emotion, suspense, and supernatural elements, making it a standout in its genre. It's a captivating watch that not only entertains but also deeply moves its audience, leaving a lasting impression.

You will see many knowing nods to other films of the horror genre here. Insidious for the parallel spirit world, Ouija for the .....errr.....ouija board and The Craft for the witchcraft and the coven.

This is a low budget effort that has problems with its direction, cinematography, sound, editing, acting and script that can all be associated with with its thin wallet.

That being said, the first hour of the movie is quite effective at creating a foreboding atmosphere. The dream sequences are well done and the central actor is pretty good as the tormented father.

The movie falls off in the third act, which becomes quite incomprehensible.