Michael Chaves Sucks May 2026

Michael Chaves doesn't "suck" because he's incompetent. He sucks because he represents everything corporate horror has become: risk-averse, over-reliant on IP, and terrified of silence. His films aren't crafted—they're assembled. And in a genre built on atmosphere, that's the real curse.

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. michael chaves sucks

If James Wan is horror's architect, Michael Chaves is the guy who shows up late with a hammer and no blueprint. And the cracks are showing. Michael Chaves doesn't "suck" because he's incompetent

Chaves took a character with genuine iconographic power—Valak—and drowned her in exposition, murky lighting, and a school-setting retread that offered zero innovation. The scares aren't earned; they're scheduled. Every quiet moment exists only to count down to another loud noise and a pale face with black eyes. It's horror by checklist. And in a genre built on atmosphere, that's the real curse

Chaves' The Curse of La Llorona (yes, he directed that) is the cinematic equivalent of a wet match. Flat performances, nonsensical lore, and jump scares so predictable you could set your watch by them. It's the kind of film that makes you miss when PG-13 horror at least tried to be clever ( The Ring , Lights Out ).