Review: Annabelle: Creation

The latest entry into "The Conjuring" universe reintroduces audiences to the horrifying doll with a fresh story, fleshed out characters and surprisingly effective scares.

I'm a BIG fan of scary movies. You could say that horror is probably my favorite genre. There's just something about the art of scaring people. Especially in today's day and age where it keeps getting tougher and tougher to come up with something original that scares the sh*t out of people. Modern horror movies are usually hit or miss and lucky for us, this one hits home.

"Annabelle: Creation" is a sort of prequel to a prequel. Wherein it's a prequel to 2014's lukewarm "Annabelle", which was itself a spin-off/prequel to 2013's horror hit "The Conjuring," focusing on the freaky possessed doll that opened the film. "Creation" focuses on a group of orphaned girls who come to stay with Mr. and Mrs. Mullins, a couple who lost their daughter years ago in a tragic accident, a tragedy that sets off the story of how the titular doll became a conduit for demonic activity. The poor girls unwittingly become prey to a terrifying evil.

The first Annabelle was a perfectly fine scary movie. It delivered some solid scares with a plausible story. Its downfall though was painfully slow pacing, so-so acting and an ending that was as unsatisfying as it was stupid - and it was pretty dumb. "Creation" makes up for all of that and more. The central characters are believable and likable, the horror sequences are terrifying and creative and the atmosphere is appropriately tense and foreboding. The ending is also a lot more satisfying but more on that later.

The film is directed by Swedish director David F. Sandburg, the creative mind behind 2016's horror gem "Lights Out." Here he proves again that he has a knack for using old school scares in creative new ways. Lights go out, doors close by themselves and things go bump in the night but they rarely happen the same way twice. Sandburg is able to put a fresh twist on old school scares that help keep audiences wondering what's going to happen next and where. He even throws in a touch of body horror and gore just to make sure everyone gets a touch of what unsettles them in the 109 minute movie. There's a particular sequence featuring a scarecrow that is sure to haunt my dreams. But of course, its all about the doll. I can assure you that every time that damn doll shows up in a scene, it has an impact. Even after already having seen it a few times it still manages to startle when it pops up in an unusual place. Kudos to whoever designed the original Annabelle doll for "The Conjuring."

The best horror movies have a story and characters that you can connect with. It helps viewers believe whats going on so they care what is happening up on the screen. "Creation" accomplishes just that through orphan best friends Janice (played by Talitha Bateman) and Linda (played by Ouija: Origin of Evil's Lulu Wilson). I have to give props to these girls because they were great and fun to watch. The other girls in the film come off as annoying and really only serve to provide sarcasm and screams. It works because we have a solid central duo. The young actresses really sold it and their on-screen friendship was completely believable. This serves to help the audience connect with them so when the spooky sh*t starts happening, we actually fear for what could happen to the girls. It also gives the film not one, but two protagonists which gives the film an interesting and unexpected gear shift halfway through it's run time.

Now, I was absolutely expecting this film to be completely separate from 2014's "Annabelle." I honestly wasn't sure how they even could connect the two prequels. I was pleasantly surprised. I won't give away any spoilers but the film actually manages to connect both films in a seemingly seamless and satisfying way that brings the Annabelle story (so far) full circle. I have to applaud that because it was so unexpected and it worked. I'm not sure if there is going to be another Annabelle movie but if you pay attention you can actually catch a nod to the next film planned for the Conjuring universe. I love when movies drop Easter eggs like that.

I do have to complain that the cast outside of the two leads really weren't that engaging. Also, some of the humor meant to defuse the tension felt forced and sometimes hilariously unintended. All gripes aside, if there is another Annabelle movie, I hope they follow in "Creation's" footsteps.

Final Thoughts: With likable leads, a chilling story and inventive scares, "Annabelle: Creation" is a welcome addition to the "The Conjuring" universe that breathes freaky fresh life into its titular doll and far surpasses its predecessor.

Overall Grade: B+

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