It sounds like you're frustrated with direction, specifically within The Conjuring Universe . Many fans and critics share this sentiment, often comparing his style to the high bar set by James Wan . To provide helpful context, Common Criticisms of Chaves’ Work
In contrast, Michael Chaves’ films have struggled to reach those same critical heights: Michael Chaves Movies List | Rotten Tomatoes michael chaves sucks
The primary driver behind this negative sentiment is the shadow cast by James Wan. Wan’s original entries, The Conjuring (86% on Rotten Tomatoes) and The Conjuring 2 (80%), were praised for their slow-burn tension and grounded emotional weight. Wan’s original entries, The Conjuring (86% on Rotten
When James Wan handed the keys to The Conjuring franchise to Michael Chaves, fans braced for a new visionary. Instead, they got a journeyman who confuses volume with velocity, noise with nuance, and CGI contortions with genuine dread. The Curse of Diminishing Returns: Why Michael Chaves
The Curse of Diminishing Returns: Why Michael Chaves Represents Horror's Laziest Era
The Devil Made Me Do It wasn't just a bad sequel—it was a betrayal. Wan's films breathed with patience, spatial awareness, and character. Chaves' version? A frantic, effects-driven courtroom-horror hybrid where the Warrens feel like guest stars in their own mythology. The iconic "clap" was replaced by CGI shadow monsters and a plot that made Annabelle Comes Home look like The Exorcist .
The biggest issue with Chaves’ directing style is that it feels like "Horror Lite." He mimics the aesthetic of James Wan—the blue filters, the creeping camera movements, the jump scares—but he completely lacks the substance and tension that made Wan’s films classics. With Wan, you feel the dread building for twenty minutes before anything happens. With Chaves, it feels like he’s checking off boxes on a "How to Make a Scary Movie" spreadsheet: loud sound effect here, creepy ghost there, end scene.