Decade of death: 10 greatest horror performances of the 2010s

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring–Courtesy of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring series)

As successful as The Conjuring films may be, they’d barely manage to function without Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the central Warrens. Director James Wan expertly crafted scares throughout the first two films of the series (something we hope Michael Chaves can continue in the third installment), but Wilson and Farmiga are the undeniable it factor. The heart and soul that keeps us coming back for more.

Say what you will about the tarnished legacy left behind by the real-life Warren couple, but as far as movie characters go, they are the easiest to love. The chemistry and connection between Wilson and Farmiga pops off the screen so naturally that we can only assume the actors are madly in love with each other. I joke, but seriously. These two are quietly giving some of the greatest horror performances of the decade.

Like the characters they portray, Wilson and Farmiga are equals. If you take away or replace either one of the actors, the films don’t work at all. Their love for each other is a flicker of light in the reverberating darkness of The Conjuring movies, and they represent hope for the tormented characters and the audience to latch onto. The quiet moments of the two showcasing their love for each other are just as important to the films as the scares, and Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga give them life.