This year marks the first year in the Conjuring franchise history to release two films in one year! The first film released this year was almost exactly two months ago, THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA. That film featured a story completely separate from the Warrens or any previously established characters, save one. While it still followed the formula of the previous films, it felt refreshing to see something new rather than a spin off.
ANNABELLE COMES HOME creates the Conjuring franchise's first trilogy among its various series, finally taking the Annabelle doll's story into the present rather than another venture into the past. Trying to put this film into the Conjuring timeline provides a bit of a challenge. It certainly occurs after the prologue of the original Conjuring but maybe before the central events of that film. Or maybe this film's prologue takes place after the prologue of the original Conjuring, but then the rest of Annabelle Comes Home takes place after the events of the original Conjuring but before Conjuring 2... ugh.
This is what we should've expected from one of the guys who helped craft the amazingly convoluted web of storytelling of the SAW franchise. Anyway, moving on...
I liked Annabelle Comes Home but it may be my least favorite of the Conjuring franchise.
THE PLOT
Mary Ellen is babysitting tonight. She's spending the evening with Judy Warren, daughter of the demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. Daniela, Mary Ellen's friend from school, is desperate to see proof of the afterlife and willing to intrude upon the Warren's house to do so. Daniela skulks about the Warren's home, snooping, and going where she shouldn't. She takes the keys to the Warren's demonic store room, crosses the threshold, and proceeds to touch everything in the room. She even tries to call out to the spirits therein. And not one, but many, answer her summons.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The idea behind this film is brilliant. The Warren's museum of occult artifacts, concentrating all of the evil they've ever battled in one place, seems like a powder keg waiting to explode. I would seriously spend a whole day there just listening to the Warrens tell the stories behind each and every artifact in that room. It's like a house of horrors all its own. And the premise of this film, everything in the room gets out, carries with it an impression of epic horror film proportions. But in reality this film felt quite small and intimate.
It's not a bad thing necessarily. The mainline Conjuring films should be the big event films in this franchise, right? I'd say yes and no to that. Annabelle: Creation had larger implications and scope of story, I'd say. The Nun as well felt like a "bigger" film. And the idea of all of the evil contained in the Warren's museum being unleashed at once seems like a BIG FREAKIN FILM to me. I'm talking enough evil to open a gate to Hell.
But no. No one dies in this film. There are no major ramifications because of this film. And everything is nicely resolved by the end and everything is back to normal. As such this doesn't have the feeling of a trilogy finale but rather like a random episode of Nickelodeon's ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK. How was this film even rated R? Seriously, there's barely any blood or gore, barely any swearing and no "F-bombs" dropped anywhere, and no nudity.
But the element that really agitated me in this was the character of Daniela. When bad things happen to good people who've done nothing but be at the wrong place at the wrong time, I have sympathy for them. Evil elements outside of one's control which are uninvited that pick you at random. Most of the characters populating the Conjuring films are such people. They're just normal people living their lives when evil crosses their path. Annabelle Comes Home is the first film in the series to bring in a character so blatantly moronic that I wanted the evil spirits to take her soul. Everything that happens in this movie is a result of Daniela intruding into the Warren's home, going into a room with signs on the door reading "DO NOT ENTER. EVIL INSIDE." She even opens Annabelle's display case after reading the sign in front of it saying, "DO NOT OPEN!"
After Daniela has proved herself to be the dumbest character to ever walk into a horror movie, the film reveals her motivations, trying to retcon the character into being sympathetic. No. I don't care anymore at this point. No amount of sympathy could make up for her blatant disregard of the sanctity of another person's home and literally touching everything inside with a sign on it that virtually reads "DO NOT TOUCH!" Had the movie begun with scenes focusing on her, establishing her motivations first, and the actress really knocked it out of the park by building genuine audience sympathy, then maybe... just maybe I'd care. But as it is she comes across as kinda hateful, a trouble-maker, and someone that genuinely revels in seeing others suffer.
Daniela's foolish character really put a damper on the movie going forward. There are some great moments in the movie as well as some great new evil entities introduced. The Ferry Man, the Bloody Bride, and Haunted Samurai Armor were pretty wicked. But their presence is undermined by the fact that every character comes out of this film unharmed and perfectly intact, not even possible mental repercussions. Even the dumb Daniela is made more emotionally stable by the end. As such the narrative lacks any impact or lasting effects. None of the spirits escape either so it's not like a demon is now on the loose.
Perhaps I'm being too harsh. I did feel excitement and thrills while watching. But ultimately I felt like this was, by and large, unnecessary.
THE VERDICT
Weekend At The Warren's! Uh oh, someone opened Annabelle's cage! What are we going to do?! Come join the zany antics of the ghouls and demons at the Warren's house. You'll scream! You'll get possessed! And most of all you'll have fun! Annabelle Comes Home, a rollicking good time the whole family can enjoy. If there was ever a Conjuring film to miss, this film is it.
Alright, I'm being really harsh now. Sorry. The premise of this film has so much potential and as a result the film feels like a wasted opportunity. A massive teaser for future spinoff films is what it really comes across as, but nothing essential. The biggest crime of this movie may be that its title character, Annabelle, is given very little do and ultimately is out-shined by other demons, which is a shame after how incredibly scary she was in the previous Annabelle film.
Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10
Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10
For more of my thoughts on the Conjuring franchise, which I really do enjoy despite the sound of this review, check out my other Conjuring reviews below!
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