The Conjuring: Last Rites Audience Score Surpasses Critics’ Reviews in Divisive Finale ( Photo Credit – YouTube )
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The Conjuring has reached its final chapter with Last Rites now running in theatres, closing the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return one last time as the paranormal investigators, this time caught up in the haunting tied to the Smurl family. The film came out on 5th September and while many expected it to end the series on a high, the response has been far more divided.
The Conjuring: Last Rites Rotten Tomatoes Score
On Rotten Tomatoes, critics first gave the movie a 65% rating from 40 reviews, which seemed like a decent opening, but the score soon dipped down to 55% after more than 125 reviews. In contrast, the audience response has been much stronger. The Popcornmeter currently sits at 78% based on over 1,000 audience reviews, a slight climb from its original 77%. This divide shows how differently the two groups are experiencing the final chapter.
Audience Reactions to The Conjuring 4
Many viewers admitted they entered with high expectations and walked out feeling let down by the story. While they acknowledged the presence of jumpscares scattered throughout the film, some argued they lacked the weight and unpredictability expected from a concluding installment. Certain sections of the audience considered the scares too familiar, taking away the fear factor.
On the other hand, there are also those who enjoyed the focus on the Warrens instead of centering the victims, calling it a fitting way to wrap up the story.
Across the board, the film’s production quality was widely appreciated. It must be noted that not all of these reviews are verified, but they reflect the general mood.
The Conjuring Franchise Rotten Tomatoes Scores
The franchise itself has been one of the biggest names in horror, grossing more than $2.2 billion worldwide from a modest combined budget of $208 million. The series, however, has always seen fluctuating reviews. Annabelle from 2014 holds a 28% score while The Nun from 2018 went even lower at 24%.
And now, looking back at the history of the series, Last Rites lands in an interesting position. The first film in 2013 received high praise with an 86% critic score and an 83% audience rating. Its sequel, The Conjuring 2, followed close with 80% from critics and 82% from viewers. The third entry, The Devil Made Me Do It in 2021, fell short with critics and ended up as the lowest-rated chapter, the only one considered “rotten,” though audiences still gave it an 83% score. Compared to that, Last Rites finds itself in the middle—third-best among the main entries, but clearly not reaching the heights of the first two.
With Last Rites, The Conjuring franchise closes its doors on a mixed note. The critics see it as a weaker outing compared to the earlier triumphs, while audiences seem more willing to embrace it as an acceptable farewell to Ed and Lorraine Warren. Whether it measures up to the chilling heights of its beginnings or not, the film marks the end of an era for a series that changed modern horror and built one of the most profitable legacies in the genre.
