Annabelle Comes Home Review

The cinematic universe based on famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren drudges forward with writer/director Gary Dauberman’s Annabelle Comes Home. After the massive success of James Wan’s The Conjuring film, Warner Bros. decision to expand on the legends of the paranormal have brought a series of connected stories like The Curse of La Llorona, The Nun and Annabelle that have never been able to achieve the same acclaim. Annabelle Comes Home is the third installment to the Annabelle sub-series and is perhaps the most noticeably lazy entry in the entire The Conjuring franchise. An incredibly empty story is driven by conflicts that lack true consequences and are initiated by a collection of poorly written characters that the film expects the viewer to find sympathy for. The frustrating repetitiveness of someone hearing a noise and then proceeding to investigate what it is in order to initiate a cheap jump scare is never rewarding or well executed and quickly becomes tiresome. The clear lack of creative ideas in Dauberman’s screenplay gives him time to fit in a pointless high school crush subplot that attempts to create comedy relief unsuccessfully. Ultimately, the poorly constructed narrative of Annabelle Comes Home feels so uninspired and passionless that it makes many of the threats in the movie more laughable than intimidating.

Annabelle Comes Home doesn’t follow the demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, however, it does take place in their house. The film instead focuses on the paranormal investigators 10-year-old daughter Judy Warren and babysitter Mary Ellen, who has been asked to look after Judy overnight as the Warrens are away on business. The Warrens home is not a normal place, it happens to hold the largest private collection of cursed and possessed artifacts in the world. A collection that is too intriguing to Mary Ellen’s friend Daniela, who invites herself over and eventually lets her curiosity get the best of her. Daniela’s carelessness results in the release of the powerful possessed doll Annabelle, who unleashes various demonic entities that threaten everyone in the house.

Although Dauberman can create an uneasy and chilling atmosphere, he fails to do anything unique within it. The horror elements of Annabelle Comes Home are painfully monotonous and never feel threatening. Powerful demonic forces never accomplish anything more than appearing behind characters and running at the camera. The entire film lacks tension and quickly becomes formulaic, never creating anything scary despite the diverse collection of threats that are introduced throughout.

The film is bookended by a prologue and conclusion that features Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson who once again reprise their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Annabelle Comes Home is at its most entertaining when these two characters are on screen, which is only about ten minutes overall. The wonderful chemistry between Farmiga and Wilson partnered with the complexity and aura of their characters creates an extremely interesting dynamic that is partially why The Conjuring movies worked so well. The directing of the film is beyond competent but feels as if Dauberman is too often emulating the style of James Wan (who is attached to this film as a producer).

The clear lack of effort, ideas and originality becomes obvious all too quickly when watching this film. James Wan once spoke about the parallels between this movie and the Ben Stiller comedy Night at the Museum, which makes a lot of sense, as the cheesy narrative of Annabelle Comes Home has more in common with kids movies than anything that belongs in a universe about the Warren’s.

An unengaging story, bad protagonists and horror scenes completely devoid of genuine tension makes Annabelle Comes Home the most frustrating and inept addition to The Conjuring franchise yet.

Produced By: New Line Cinema
Runtime: 106 minutes
Rating: R