Horror would have to be my least favourite genre of film. I prefer a rom-com to having the pants scared off of me for a couple of hours.

I think the last horror title I watched was The Visit, strictly for the purposes of interviewing M Night Shyamalan and was encouraged to see that there are many different entries in the horror field with that film containing excellent thriller elements as well as some truly frightening scenes in the pay off.

The Conjuring 2 follows on from the adventures of Ed and Lorraine Warren investigating The Amityville Horror in the first film, this time heading to the UK to help a distressed family who are experiencing the “Enfield Poltergeist”.

A single mother Peggy (Frances O’Connor), and her four kids including Madison Wolfe (True Detective) as the possessed Janet are tormented by bumps in the night that grow more ferocious and director James Wan is a wizard when it comes to setting up a cinema audience for a good fright.

Like the Amityville haunting, there has been ongoing dispute about the authenticity of the happenings in South London, and Wan integrates the skepticism into the story with great effect.

Why is Vera Farmiga not a household name? She is so good in so many roles (Up in the Air,Source Code, The Departed) and is a perfect fit for the tough but gifted “spiritualist” Lorraine Warren. Patrick Wilson similarly gives a top performance as Ed, always keen to help a family in need.

If a good scare is what you are after then The Conjuring 2 should fit the bill nicely.

3 & 1/2 stars.