The Conjured

The Conjured, a spine-tingling horror movie premiered in 2015, unleashes your worst nightmares with its chilling portrayal of a haunted house. Boasting an engaging cast including Jill Evyn, Lane Townsend, along with Jeremy S. Walker, the film deserves applause for its eerie atmosphere and intriguing narrative.

The film revolves around the protagonist, a youthful woman named Maddie (performed by talented Jill Evyn), who finds herself thrust into the midst of unspeakable horror and paranormal activities. Maddie, fond of solitude and the thrills of suspense, decides to rent a secluded house for a summer, aiming to find a peaceful and quiet environment for her artistic endeavors. She hopes that the eerie rumors surrounding the house would ignite her inspiration and make her stay interesting. However, she could not even begin to imagine the terrifying adventures that were about to unfold.

The house she rentishly known as the 'Murder House' due to a series of gruesome and mysterious murders that took place there years ago. Since then, eerie whispers of ghost sightings and inexplicable events have encircled the house, offering it a notorious reputation within the town. Maddie finds herself drawn to the eerie charm of the place, its history of violence merely adding a curious element and creative stimulation from her perspective.

Lane Townsend plays the character of Ben, Maddie's boyfriend. He is initially skeptical about Maddie's decision to live in such a house, considering the chilling tales he has heard about it. Despite his reservations, he supports Maddie's choice, unknowing of the fact that the eerie house would eventually engulf their lives in a darkness they never anticipated.

Jeremy S. Walker steps into the shoes of Derek, who is Maddie’s friend and her connection within the town. His quirky humor and charismatic personality provide a counterbalance to the tense and spooky atmosphere that pervades the film. Walker’s vivacious portrayal of Derek makes him a representative of the untouched and normal world outside the haunted house.

The story takes a darker turn when Maddie starts to experience strange incidents around the house. Sounds of strange footsteps, flickering lights, phantom presences, a persistently chilly atmosphere, and other eerie phenomena become a routine part of her life. These largely overlooked phenomena soon build to moments of undeniable terror, as the veil between the living and the spirit worlds gradually wears thin.

Director Josh Hodgins does an outstanding job enveloping the viewers into a bundle of suspense and fright as Maddie slowly steps deeper into a pool of spirits and emerges haunted. The film is shot in a unique mode that alternates between found footage and typical movie scenes, creating a blend between the uncomfortable intimacy of personal moments and the freedom to explore cinematic shots. The filmmakers masterfully utilize the old horror genre tricks of darkness, shadows, and odd camera angles, stretching the taut thread of suspense till it almost snaps.

The film also excels in its sound design, with an atmospheric soundtrack that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, catapulting into a churning crescendo when the ghostly activities spiral out of control.

While The Conjured offers a spine-chilling plot that leaves you biting your nails, it also explores the depths of human psychology, the idea of reality, and how fear can distort it. As Maddie questions her sanity amid increasing paranormal incidents, the film blurs the lines between the physical and spiritual, the real and the imagined, delving into a psychological exploration that is as fascinating as it is unnerving.

The skilled performances by the cast make the daunting experiences of their respective characters tangible and relatable. Jill Evyn delivers a powerful performance as Maddie, embodying fear and vulnerability brilliantly. Townsend gives a convincing portrayal of Ben, a man caught between his concern for Maddie and disbelief in the supernatural.

All in all, The Conjured is an intriguing concoction of classic horror, mixed with elements of psychological thriller that captivates you from beginning to end. It offers a chilling, visually stunning, and thought-provoking journey that unfurls in the hauntingly beautiful canvas of a haunted house, keeping you hooked with every unfolding mystery.