Review of Annabelle: Creation (2017) by Chris O — 12 Aug 2017

An enjoyable and well told story that makes for a nice addition to the Conjuring universe.

A couple still grieving the death of their daughter take in children from a local orphanage, but the family are soon terrorized by a demented doll known as Annabelle. Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto, Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, and Lulu Wilson star in this horror sequel from director David F. Sandberg (Lights Out).

Again, as I said in my previous review, this was one of those films where I was not looking forward to it. It looked like another cash grab, feeding off successes such as the Conjuring movies. However, when I found out who was directing it, a spark of hope ignited in my chest. David Sandberg, the director of "Lights Out", had previously directed a very great film. And so I put my trust that he would do his best to give us a quality film, and I was definitely pleased with the results.

One thing I wanted to point out, as was also a positive in "Ouija: Origins of Evil", was that the lighting and shadows in this film were very effective. There were many subtle frames and shots where a shadow or a figure would be lurking the darkness. It wasn't the prime subject, nor was it a cheesy jump scare, which made it even that much more effective. There was truly a lot of creepy and haunting imagery in this film, and it made for some tense moments.

What was done really here was that this film connected really well with the other films in the Conjuring universe. It leads perfectly right into "Annabelle", while also referencing character(s) from the other films. It never felt forced, which is a problem that many shared universes have today. It all flowed really well and that's what made this movie good. This is essentially a prequel to the prequel, so you don't have to see the other films to understand this one. It really is its own story, and I enjoyed that story thoroughly.

I thought this film was genuinely brutal and scary at times. There are moments in here that are terrifying in reality, and just the sheer concept of them really impress me. Although I didn't love all the acting, I thought Talitha Bateman really brought it in this film. A horror film isn't scary if the characters themselves don't look scared. But the genuine fear in her eyes and the reflection of her character was haunting. She was a big part in what made this film scary and it makes it more memorable.

In the end, this film has some real creepy imagery and some unforgettable moments of shock and terror. I would recommend trying to catch this film in theaters, as I definitely enjoyed watching it in RPX.