To say I was VERY dissapointed with 'Annabelle' would be a bit of an understatement. While I dont particularly hold 'The Conjuring' films in high regard (They're fine enough 'haunted house' movies, but I feel they're WAY over-bloated and have various other issues dragging them down) They are at least decent enough scare movies both plot wise and technically to enjoy every once and a while…
'Annabelle' was their first attempt at expanding the franchise into an extended universe. And it was laboured, heavy handed, overly simplistic and overly safe, with poorly written dialogue, bad character structuring, bad plot structuring and ended abruptly and in a way that left me fairly dissatisfied…In short, after watching that one, I REALLY wasnt looking forward to having to sink another 2 of these.
Well! I shouldnt have worried! Because 'Annabelle: Creation', While still a bit off being something truly 'Great' IS absolutely moving things in the right direction and was STREETS ahead of 'Annabelle' on all fronts.
The film acts as an 'origin' story for 'Annabelle', The film opens in 1943 as we're introduced to the 'Mullins' family, Mr. Mullins is a doll maker and bread winner for his wife and child 'Bee' (formally: Annabelle). In the introduction, we get to see a happy and fun, freeloving church going family loving life and everything in it! That is until tragedy strikes! when, while fixing a flat tyre by the side of the road, 'Bee' runs into the road to grab a Nut that fell of the tyre and is instantly obliterated by an oncoming truck.
We then flash forward 12 years to 1955, and we're introduced to Janice, a young girl whos just survived Polio, is recovering in a leg brace, and is on a bus with a whole bunch of other children who are being relocated to a new 'permanent residency' as they're orphans being cared for by the catholic church.
Sister Charlotte is leading the trip, and when they arrive at their destination, its non other than that 'Mullins house'! But things have changed somewhat, the lively and happy family home is now a drab and deteriorating place, with Mrs. Mullins seemingly kept out of sight at more or less all times, and Mr. Mullins being a shadow of his former self.
The girls are given free roam of the house barring two rooms, a downstairs space where Mr and Mrs Mullins primarily reside, and a locked room upstairs that Janice tries to explore, but is stopped by Mr. Mullins who tells her the room is locked, and that she's never to go in there…
Well, Janice is a bullied Polio survivor with only one other friend 'Linda' who is split between wanting to support and help Janice, while also wanting to just…Be a kid and explore and have fun with the other girls…Needless to say this creates a small bit of animosity between the pair, and a great sense of isolation for Janice who, when things finally DO get too much, decides to break into the room to see whats going on.
She finds what appears to be a little girls room, and after exploring for a bit, she finds a key, and after exploring for a little bit more she finds a door, and on opening that door, she finds the 'Annabelle' doll seemingly locked in what appears to be a closet filled with Bible passages (im sure this wont be an issue…)
Anyway; as you can imagine, once that doors opened, strange things begin to happen in the house, people start going missing, getting injured, the Annabelle doll starts teleporting around the house, and a sense of unease grows and grows as Linda begins to worry about her friend and the dark forces that are congregating on the house. Eventually leading to a devastating incident and revelations about the Mullins family that will result in a fight for life, death and a battle against the forces of good and evil.
And across the board, theres some big improvements here over their original attempt at spinning this series off. For a starters, the script is much more compelling, much more engaging, has nowhere near as much 'character fluff' or meandering while character info dump heavily. the pacing is a lot tighter and quicker than the first film, the dialogue feels a lot tighter, more naturalistic and believable, the characters feel deeper, more complex and it feels like they actually get some decent development across the runtime.
There are still a few moments where things lull a bit, and what im assuming is plot points where the camera will linger on a shot for a while (I assume to create a sense of tension) where instead, it'll just feel a bit boring. This one also is about 10 minutes longer than the first film, and I do feel it could have benefitting from one more pass through on the editing front to tighten it up just a *bit* more…5-10 minutes tops…but that really would have made a difference.
Otherwise? this is a pretty solidly scripted venture, that I was engaged with pretty much throughout. And while, again, it isnt the most original or refreshing watch in the world. its definitely a step up on what preceded it. and is getting closer to something I could wholeheartedly endorse.
On the direction front, again, its much the same. This outing felt a lot higher quality. the previous film had moments that bordered on 'asylum' level quality in terms of a creative vision, whereas this outing felt much more in line with the 'Conjuring' films in terms of stylisation, tone and creative direction. Theres still an heir of drabness to the colour choices and set design. But they have mixed at least a BIT more vibrancy back into the fold, creating a kind of compromise between 'what I want, and what I'll settle for.' It looks fine, it feels like an actual studio grade picture! which, given it IS an actual studio grade picture is definitely a plus!
Same goes for the cine, compositions are MUCH more considered than 'Annabelle' was, sequences feel more thought out and are better structured. it results in a smoother, neater and MUCH more professional looking production. And while again, it isnt exactly redefining horror cinema. It feels visually like a sturdy and grounded piece intent on just, really nailing the basics. Which I think it does rather successfully.
The performances too are a massive step up, I wont talk about the child actors in this, as per my own personal moral rules around not critiquing people who are still in the VERY early years of a professional career. Other than to say I had no broad issues with any of them, and they all brought a decent sense of 'realness' to the production.
Stephanie Sigma and Anthony LaPaglia as Sister Charlotte and Mr. Mullins are basically our human cast for this production outside of the kids, and they're both fairly solid…if I was going to be crtitical, I think LaPaglia's performance is a little flat and one note, I appreciate theres a reason for that (which I wont get into because…spoilers) But even so, I do feel like he could have given the deliveries just a little more range, even if it was within the area that hes been asked to work within. Theres PLENTY of shades to be played with a flat/depressed character style…but his turn feels like we spend most of the film with him just constantly idling in one gear…which is a shame. Otherwise though, they're both very solid performers who more than meet the brief!
As for the soundtrack…its trying to be 'Insidious'…I mean, theres nothing INHERENTLY wrong with wanting to try and imitate the music cues and styles from 'Insidious'…it did it quite well! But, thats how the music and timings and cues came across to me when watching this, it felt like a slightly poorer attempt to copy it…and…it works for this movie, but it does also make it feel a bit half hearted at the same time. I think they'd have been better off trying to give this thing a new voice musically, something that seperated it from the ambient malevolence combined with old novelty 'jukebox' hits style that a LOT of films from this time, and now, repeatedly find themselves falling into…I know its asking a bit much for the 2nd 'Annabelle' spin off to try an original 'strike out' against the status quo…but its an ask non the less…
All in all? 'Annabelle Creation' is a solid work. theres nothing here I can inherently point to that completely ruins the work, and I came away from it thinking that it was a sturdy, but ultimately kind of 'safe' watch that I wished had gone a bit further than it did. One I can almost certainly see myself watching again, and as for whether I can recommend it or not? Well; i'd say if you liked 'The Conjuring' films, movies like 'Sinister' or 'Ouija: Origin of Evil' But REALLY didnt like the first 'Annabelle' this one may be worth your time…If your more of a 'cream of the crop' horror fan though, you may want to look elsewhere.
source https://letterboxd.com/tytdreviews/film/annabelle-creation/
