Demon Possession is So Overrated

The Conjuring is a witch's brew of all the standard suspense film gimmicks. Yet, it may be the best of this hokey genre. There is much directorial restraint keeping the screams and apparitions fleeting and bearable. There is an earnestness about the supernatural without insisting that viewers embrace the predominantly-silly ghostbusting profession. Alfred Hitchcock might even be impressed with this creepy, gripping and well-crafted movie.

The story is quite routine. A 1970s family moves into a...