Chaves Sucks — Michael

Despite the criticism, Chaves has become a primary architect for the later stages of the franchise:

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.

There has been notable pushback against his use of CGI for spirits, which some fans feel looks "cheap" or "unnecessary" compared to more practical, grounded horror. michael chaves sucks

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 .

BANG sound effect that made everyone jump, but only because it was too loud. "It’s just noise!" "I told you," Leo whispered, pointing at the screen where a dramatic emotional scene was playing out with all the subtlety of a soap opera. "He’s great at 'the power of love' and terrible at actually building dread ." The breaking point came during the climax. A character turned around to face the "Ultimate Evil," and the demon… just kind of tripped. The theater, meant to be filled with screams of terror, erupted in a unified, cynical chuckle. Arthur slumped in his seat. He opened his phone and navigated straight to his favorite forum. As the credits rolled, he didn't even wait to see if there was a post-credits scene. His thumbs flew across the screen, typing out the four words that had become a mantra for a very specific subset of the internet: "Every complaint," he typed, hitting submit with a flourish, Despite the criticism, Chaves has become a primary

The Curse of Diminishing Returns: Why Michael Chaves Represents Horror's Laziest Era

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. It's horror by checklist

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.