Movie Review: Annabelle (2014)

Annabelle (2014)

Starring: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Alfre Woodard
Directed by: John R. Leonetti
Rating: R
Run time: 99 minutes
Synopsis: John Form has found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia - a beautiful, rare vintage doll in a pure white wedding dress. But Mia's delight with Annabelle doesn't last long. On one horrific night, their home is invaded by members of a satanic cult, who violently attack the couple. Spilled blood and terror are not all they leave behind. The cultists have conjured an entity so malevolent that nothing they did will compare to the sinister conduit to the damned that is now... Annabelle..

I went into Annabelle with mixed feelings. The doll was featured in 2013's the Conjuring as part of the artifact collection in the home of paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorrainne Warren. The doll's story was touched on, but not expanded in the Conjuring. In those brief clips, Annabelle is mentioned as tormenting two nursing students and their friend. Later, the doll makes an appearance with the Warrens' young daughter. I won't go into detail on reality versus fiction in this review, but I was interested in seeing how Annabelle and the nursing students ended up meeting the Warrens. This movie doesn't cover that story. Instead, it offers an original take on how the doll became haunted/possessed before she's given to one of the nursing students by her mother.

John Form and his wife, Mia, are expecting their first child. Mia is an avid collector of dolls and is given one by her husband after a minor disagreement. Two home invasions happen shortly afterward that make Mia feel paranoid and uncomfortable. Who can blame her with everything that's happened especially when she could give birth any day?

Annabelle hasn't been able to capture the atmosphere that the film it's spun-off from had. The tie-in moments, other than the doll itself, is the baby's mobile playing the same tune as Rory's music box. As a whole Annabelle lacks a feeling of dread. Most of the 'scares' have consisted of the typical jump scare or misdirection that is highly overused. There's an effective transition shot that was more neat than scary. Another seen involving darkness and an elevator played on the idea of being unable to escape being pursued by something.

One of the biggest flaws in Annabelle were the underdeveloped characters. Who are John and Mia aside from pretty faces? Why are we supposed to relate to Mia and root for her to save her baby? The neighbor, Evelyn, who befriends Mia isn't really explored either. Her purpose seems to merely be exposition and a convoluted resolution. The actors weren't bad. They couldn't overcome a flimsy script that borrowed heavily on Rosemary's baby. Both films feature blondes, cults, pregnancy and childbirth as well as suicide. The families both end up with strange things happening in and around an apartment. The main characters in Annabelle are even named John and Mia. Rosemary and her husband were played by Mia Farrow and John Cassavates. Coincidence or homage?

Rating: 3/5