When something’s frightening, you confront it, right? It’s the only way to take away its power on us. I’m beginning to believe that those who think this have yet to meet Annabelle.
The Warner Bros. Pictures film “Annabelle: Creation” is a solid enough entry in this horror franchise, but fumbles too many times to be completely effective. When I think about it now, it makes sense. The downside of involving children in your story.
For whatever reason it’s taken me this long to see this film. I’ve always loved the Annabelle doll and how it’s been used in previous films, but for some reason, I didn’t jump on seeing this prequel. I wish I could tell you why. It’s not like I haven’t known it was collecting dust on my shelf. Thankfully, “The Nun II” has helped to rectify this and all is better in my world. I’m still afraid of Annabelle, and even though the finished product wasn’t completely up to my expectations, I can’t deny there weren’t plenty of other moments that made this slightly lengthy film worth it.
Hello Dolly
While the titular creepy children’s toy doesn’t give me full on nightmares, it does give me pause about where everything is in my house. Suddenly every little noise has new meaning and jumping out of my skin is that much easier. It’s why I love horror, even when it’s sometimes a bad idea in the moment. Well, sort of.
If anything, that’s largely where this film seems to excel. The jump scares and suspense building, which just becomes its own fascinating, agonizing and dread filled experience, keep up the tradition established some time ago. Nothing is as it seems, and if you think it is, something’s bound to pop out and scare you! I’ve loved that for a long time with many films. Even before the original “Annabelle” film, the franchise creators knew how to slightly misdirect audiences and then unleash some kind of waking hell. Even if it turns out to be an expected scare, it still more or less works because you’re under some impression it isn’t actually going to happen. It’s likely what redeemed this film after the first hour of fits and starts. It’s also how (in the middle of the afternoon), I was finding that I wasn’t completely over this film’s overall scares and creep factor. It may not have burrowed as deep as other films, but it appears to have gotten far enough in, that waiting to watch the sequel might be a good idea.
One element that sets this franchise apart from many other horror films is the ability to delve into the characters. To get you to care much more than usual. I don’t think it worked this time. Even though the principal cast is mostly children, I somehow wasn’t feeling it. I could see the relationships between them and as a group, but something didn’t hold my interest. This is where it became difficult to focus and become invested on a consistent level. I felt myself getting sleepy and losing interest. That doesn’t happen to me with horror. So, why did it with this film? I was awake. Caffeinated properly. What went wrong? Perhaps it’s just that simple. The interactions and character growth with any of these girls, or Staphanie Sigman’s Sister Charlotte, didn’t move me. I didn’t care enough. Only when there was danger and suspense did I seem truly invested.
While this film started out fine and held my interest, even if it did resort to underutilizing Anthony LaPaglia and Miranda Otto, and fell into some familiar story beats, it shouldn’t have been so tough to get through. Fits and starts are one thing, but maybe the first hour just wasn’t constructed well enough. Since the doll in these films is as frightening as she is, I don’t think it’s going to be hard for anyone to convince me this is worth another watch. I’m just hoping it, and the other films, show me many things I apparently didn’t get from this first viewing.
Originally Released: Aug. 11, 2017
Director: David F. Sandberg
Writer: Gary Dauberman
Starring: Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Lulu Wilson, Anthony LaPaglia and Miranda Otto; Also starring: Grace Fulton, Philippa Coulthard, Samara Lee, Tayler Buck and Lou Lou Safran
...Everything in Between 