The creepy vintage demonic Annabelle doll is back to scare us yet again. The predecessor got a mixed review but was ramping at box office. This movie is about the scary doll and its origin, how it became possessed and the horror that it inflicted on an orphanage. But to the contrast, movie is really light years ahead of its prequel in its genre.
This movie being prequel to a prequel directed by Sandberg, who created a stand out horror movie of last year ‘Lights out’. That movie was very inventive and based on a single idea took most out of it. Obviously, Expectation was seen budding in theatre audience. The film ends exactly where the first part of Annabelle ends. This is 12 years before the timeline of that prequel making us to feel fresh and take different look.
The scrupulous production design, vintage interiors, old fashioned style and scary props contributed very well to the scariness factor. Sound effects during a silent and loud roar were impressive. Cinematographer’s shaky and super zoom shots gets us to edge of our seat. Blood during the third act was subtle and not much, But good move in sticking to reality. However, CGI could still be better. There could be more detailing in the graphics portions.
The initial part of the annabelle was more of drama, a handful of girls and a nun from an orphanage coming together to a large house out of nowhere. Only three out them are travel in the story line. As the movie proceeds, we get into shoes of these girls which is absolutely engaging. The pace of the movie is bit slow at some points testing our patience. There are a lot drag points in the movie.
The movie is not an inventive or a new-age horror movie but a standard horror movie housing all the latest technologies and skill mastery. There are few jump scares with a loud sound in the movie which was not that scary. Even the most silent scene of the movie could be scarier than that. The drama taking place in the haunted house was okay but makes us enervated at times. It was supposed to talk about the creation of Annabelle, but the story is completely different, and the Annabelle history wasn’t explained properly.
The last 20 minutes is what that makes this movie a horror movie and gets you on your edge. Like those of spiders crawling all over you. A girl with forrest grump kind of leg braces characterization was interesting and unique giving scope for a new and creative scary scenes.
The Cinematography involving different camera angles and carefully handled colour proportions accompanied by excellent sound engineering is a boon for the film. A more engaging screenplay and convincing storyline would surely made this movie on par with conjuring duology. But, still a must watch, if you love horror.