About bloody time.
This horror movie is both wonderfully old-fashioned and still feels new in avoiding so many stereotypes of the genre. After all the blood and gore of recent years it is nice to see someone go back to the primal fears: the darkness under your bed and in the corner behind your door. No big amount of digital effects, no stupid teenagers running in the wrong direction, no killing off minor characters just because you can and no silly last second punch in the gut to send the audience home with a bad feeling.

The film's protagonists (excellent: Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), who were actual people just like this is supposedly an actual case, give you a soothing feeling of competence as they take on the demon pestering a family. That does not mean that anyone is safe or that there isn't excitement here. The fact that the lovable family are real characters puts even more at stake.

The scares are well timed and never cheap, sending the hair on your arms in an upward position a dozen times throughout the film, especially thanks to excellent sound effects.
Of course the film can't avoid using some horror tropes, like the dog who feels the presence in the house first, and the showdown has plenty of exorcism mumbo-jumbo, but that doesn't make this ghost train ride any less effective or satisfying.

From the acting to the production design, direction and cinematopgrahy: A gem of the genre that can't get enough praise.

8.5 out of 10 clapping hands.