In Defense: Annabelle



(imdb.com)

In reviews for the latest installment in the growing universe of The Conjuring, critics (including myself) have been quick to mark Annabelle: Creation as a much needed divergence away from 2014's Annabelle. Despite being a direct prequel that notably doesn't ignore the original, Annabelle: Creation reviews have consistently and with some good reasons, mentioned Annabelle and all its flaws. But, for all of its clunky misdirection and overly stale conventions, the first of what could be many spin-offs, Annabelle is deserving of a second watch.

Far better than it’s been lamented to be, Annabelle follows the Gordon's shortly after husband John picks up a very recognizable doll from a thrift store for his pregnant wife, Mia. After bringing the doll into the home strange things begin to happen and, after the murder of their neighbors by as satanic cult, they decide to move to the city. Things obviously don't slow down there and like many horror movies, the results are typical, but in many scenes, terrifying. Annabelle stars Ward Horton (Pure Genius) as John and Annabelle Wallis (Come and Find Me) as Mia. Tony Amendola (The Mask of Zoro) and Alfre Woodard is also featured as Evelyn, a neighbor and book shop owner with knowledge of the occult, and Father Perez, respectively.

Annabelle isn't perfect by any means. There are quite a few flaws that are worth noting. From the stale portrayal of a mystic minority character at the hands of Woodard to some really old horror scares that are less terrifying and more tepid, Annabelle deserves criticism. While Woodard herself is great in the film, her character is a disservice. Jump scares are also really overly placed throughout making it difficult to focus on the movie's plot itself. Plus, and perhaps most notably, through all of its sleek graphics and camerawork, the gleaming feeling of Annabelle leaves the movie feeling rather insincere. Sure you could figure out the play-by-play of the movie, but the greatest offense of Annabelle is its complete lack of personality. Rigid set design, although set in a time period, feel completely fabricated and the movie seems most worried about the industry's bottom line - making money.

But, writing off Annabelle completely is neglectful. While typical, Annabelle has multiple scenes that carry enough scares and tension to lift this movie up. That - paired with Annabelle Wallis' fantastic turn as a mother trying to adjust her life in the face of supernatural woes, more than compensate for the dead weight in this film. In fact, the storage room scene where Mia gets trapped in a basement and frights come out in waves is perhaps one of the scariest parts in modern horror to date. There are also the opening scenes in the young couple’s home that set the stage for what could have been an even better movie. Even if it later dismantles, these scenes are incredibly tense and well executed.

Overall, it’s not so much that Annabelle isn't deserving of criticism, it’s that the harsh words flung at this movie put it on an unfounded level. This is no Rings or Bye Bye Man. Annabelle has some horrifying parts. It has an amazing cast who all make the best of their roles, as well as some well-shot scenes that capture the dread felt by the characters. Annabelle isn't as good as it could have been and isn't as good as Creation, but it definitely shouldn't be ignored.