Annabelle (2014) Warner Bros./Horror RT: 98 minutes Rated R (intense sequences of disturbing violence and terror) Director: John R. Leonetti Screenplay: Gary Dauberman Music: Joseph Bishara Cinematography: James Kniest Release date: October 3, 2014 (US) Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Alfre Woodard, Kerry O’Malley, Brian Howe, Eric Ladin, Ivar Brogger. Box Office: $84.3M (US)/$257M (World)
Rating: * ½
It would appear that Annabelle, the creepy doll from last year’s genuinely scary The Conjuring, would like to inherit the mantle not yet vacated by Chucky. If Annabelle is any indication, the star of the Child’s Play movies has nothing to worry about. This spin-off (NOT a sequel!) is about as scary as a rerun of Howdy Doody. Killer dolls have long been a staple of the horror genre from Dead of Night (1945) to Magic (1978) to Dead Silence (2007). For me, the best killer doll movie is still the original Child’s Play (1988). It’s hard, if not impossible, to outdo Brad Dourif. Am I right?
To be fair, Annabelle isn’t as bad as some of the horror flicks I’ve had to endure these past few years, but that’s not saying much given some of the duds that somehow secure a theatrical release. This one isn’t terrible; it’s merely lame. And dull which is the worst sin a horror movie can commit. There’s no amount of penance the perpetrators can do to make up for these cinematic crimes against the moviegoing public. I think I speak for all fans of the genre with these last two statements.
The events in Annabelle take place about a year before The Conjuring and center on the creepy doll that played a peripheral role in the story. Basically, it’s an origin film. The same night med student John Gordon (Horton, The Mighty Macs) gifts his pregnant wife Mia (Wallis, W.E.) with the titular doll, they’re almost murdered by violent intruders who turn out to be members of a Satanic cult. That they’re watching coverage of the Manson trial on TV right before this happens shouldn’t be seen as a sign of things to come.
Naturally, all kinds of weird stuff starts happening afterwards. Could it have something to do with the fact that the female intruder was clutching the wedding dress-clad doll when she took her own life? If you don’t know the answer, you’ve obviously never seen a single horror movie in your life. They move to an apartment, but things continue to go bump in the night. They still have the doll even though John tried to throw it away. Although I’m sure you know the drill, let me lay it down for you anyway. The doll is possessed by the female intruder (whose name in Annabelle) and wants to conjure a demonic entity by way of their infant daughter.
I was originally going to give Annabelle a two-star rating, but after a period of consideration I find I can’t even characterize it as a mediocre horror film. It definitely falls on the lame side of the scale. The doll isn’t even on screen most of the time. Too much of it focuses on family drama like Mia’s difficult pregnancy due to stress and her growing fear that something bad will happen to baby Lea. If this is meant to build suspense, it fails. It’s just slow. On the occasion that something does happen, it’s not scary because we can see it coming from a mile away. This movie is extremely predictable on all counts but one and that turns out to be a problem too. When neighbor Evelyn (Woodard, 12 Years a Slave), a bookseller who conveniently displays occult-themed tomes in the front window, enters the picture, I had a distinct idea of the role she would ultimately play in the story. I was wrong; she serves a completely different purpose. The makers should have taken the more obvious direction with this character.
Annabelle has serious narrative issues as well. Specifically, there are too many unanswered questions. What’s up with all the racket from the upstairs apartment? What about the mysterious children that Mia encounters on the stairs? Maybe the makers are setting up a spin-off of this spin-off?
Not only does Annabelle lack the fright factor of The Conjuring, it also lacks its interesting characters and talented cast. The biggest name is Woodard and I’ve already said my piece about her. Last year’s movie had Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga (as real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren), Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor. The only significant thing about this cast in that the lead actress and the killer doll both have the same name. So who’s responsible for this sleep-inducing bore? That would be Conjuring cinematographer John R. Leonetti who also directed Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997). As Halloween draws near, movie audiences want a good scare. They won’t find it here. Annabelle is the cinematic equivalent of getting a rock for trick-or-treat instead of candy.
