I did something special for my youtube review so check it out HERE!!!
When The Conjuring came out last year it was very much a revelation for the horror genra; though not original it was still a breath of fresh air, artfully made, surprisingly up lifting, actually portrayed Christianity very well and was honestly just a great movie which something the genre continues to lack. So when I heard that the same team (though not director) would be making a spin-off via Annabelle I was indeed intrigued; it also helped that the trailer was pretty good too. This time around though it is directed by the Director of Photography of The Conjuring John R. Leonetti and stars Annabelle (not kidding) Wallis, Ward Horton, Alfre Woodard, Tony Amendola, Kerry O'Malley and Eric Ladin.
Unlike the The Conjuring the plot of Annabelle is not based on one of the Warren's case files, it's more of a fictional prequel to the case file which was briefly featured at the start of The Conjuring. The film follows a young couple who are soon to be parents. They recently moved next door to a nice older couple who they attend church with, unfortunately the older couple's daughter ran away with a cult and returned to kill her parents and attempt to bring forth a demon who possesses a doll in the possession (see what I did there) of the young couple.
What follows is a film that has its moments but is ultimately rather redundant and also rather silly. Being a Director of Photography on previous projects, John R. Leonetti knows how to construct a stunning composition and believe me there are many in this film; the digital cinematography isn't jarring for the period piece. But a movie doesn't just have to look good it also has to tell a compelling story as well; unfortunately it doesn't.
The script is where Annabelle really falls short (don't know if that counts as a doll pun) as it is tells us a story we've seen before and better and also manages to be rather bland and at times laughable rather than frightening. Like I said the film has its moment but it's hard to make a doll really scary, in fact most of the scares come from other forces related to the doll but not the doll itself. Though I do commend the fact that film took more inspiration from Rosemary's Baby than other possession movies unfortunately it all ends up falling flat as none of the characters are that compelling and drawn rather thing.
What we have with Annabelle is a forgettable horror movie that has gotten exposure because of the film that came before it, then again isn't that the point of franchise films. There are some solid scares (particularly one involving a sight from an elevator) but there are also lazy jump scares and also some laughable ones. The film is competently made and well shot but then again you'd have to be something truly terrible to not be but in the end it doesn't matter if you don't have a good story to tell. Annabelle isn't necessarily a terrible film but it is a bad one and not one I'll be remembering at all.
2 out of 5 stars.
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