A few nights ago, my horror movie partner in crime and I ventured out to the cinema to view this movie , 'Annbelle' by director John, R. Leonetti.
'Annabelle', is essentially the prequel for the well known 2013 horror 'The Conjuring', a product from director James Wan.
As a rather avid fan of 'The Conjuring' I was particularly excited and had such high expectations and hopes for 'Annabelle', which to my immense disappointment, the film did not live up to my expectations. I don't mean to start this blogpost on a negative note but I would like to say that it was not all I had hoped it would be.
So first of all, I figured that the film focused a little too much in on the story involving the young couple. In my opinion there was so much screen time revolving around the couple and their life together. Okay so now you are asking, they are the main characters, the protagonists, surely that would make sense that they have a lot of screen time as it allows us, the audience, to get a clear insight into their lives, which yes you are right but in this case I felt there was a lot of unnecessary scenes. There were many scenes (NO SPOILER) where I almost felt as if it was building up to something happening, but then you were dropped and left with nothing, either that or in these scenes there was no contribution to the plot. Perhaps that was what Leonetti was going for, I'm not particularly sure, but for me that did not work, I did not like it.
Another thing I found particularly frustrating was that I felt there was no solid connection between 'The Conjuring' and 'Annabelle', from what I understood the connection was the Annabelle doll that Lorraine and Ed Warren kept in there room of possessed objects from the paranormal cases they have solved. (SPOILER ALERT) So I was able to understand that there is the same scene from 'The Conjuring' when the two young nurses are telling Lorraine and Ed Warren about the doll, that scene is at the beginning of 'Annabelle', there was my first clue. But then all throughout the film until the very end there is no mention of the two nurses again, and at the very end there is still no explanation. In 'The Conjuring' I felt there was a similar issue. Maybe it is just me that does not understand, but after contemplating this for a while, I am still unsure. I am not sure of the reason as to why the story of the Annabelle doll is included within 'The Conjuring'. I am aware of the scene (SPOILER ALERT) that shows the Warren's daughter locked in the room and there is the women rocking back and forth on the chair holding the doll, and then at the very end of the film we are shown that the doll is missing from its protective glass case in the Warren's room, which I did not understand either. I did not understand what this scene had to do with 'The Conjuring'. I felt it was unnecessary to connect the two films just on the basis that they were both cases of Lorraine and Ed Warren. Perhaps it would have been better had they made them two separate films instead one connected to the other. Of course there is a connection but I feel that there is no absolute connection and that it was not enough to make 'Annabelle' the prequel for 'The Conjuring'.
Okay so in all fairness, the film did have surreal horror elements that I thought were amazingly scary. After doing some background reading, I read about the story of the Annabelle doll and found out that it is apparently a true story. Some of the events that occurred within the film are depicted from the story itself.
I very much liked the idea of religion and the theme of satanism and cult that ran throughout the film. (SPOILER ALERT) The portrayal of Lucifer himself in the film was outstanding and the scene on the staircase, I, personally found terrifying! I was very much fascinated by the element of Satanic worship and demonisation, this eerie idea that demons can be conjured up and exist purely to steal the soul of an innocent person. I also liked the idea that the demon wants to withdraw the soul from the child, and it is explained that a person has to offer their soul, but as the baby is not able to offer it, the demon has to go about another way trying to obtain it, to which he targets the mother.
Along with some other jump frights and classic horror elements I did enjoy. I was just particularly frustrated by the story itself. Although I admit to being rather disappointed, there was definitely some freaky parts in the film and I would suggest watching.
Thank you very much for reading !
I very much liked the idea of religion and the theme of satanism and cult that ran throughout the film. (SPOILER ALERT) The portrayal of Lucifer himself in the film was outstanding and the scene on the staircase, I, personally found terrifying! I was very much fascinated by the element of Satanic worship and demonisation, this eerie idea that demons can be conjured up and exist purely to steal the soul of an innocent person. I also liked the idea that the demon wants to withdraw the soul from the child, and it is explained that a person has to offer their soul, but as the baby is not able to offer it, the demon has to go about another way trying to obtain it, to which he targets the mother.
Along with some other jump frights and classic horror elements I did enjoy. I was just particularly frustrated by the story itself. Although I admit to being rather disappointed, there was definitely some freaky parts in the film and I would suggest watching.
Thank you very much for reading !
7/10
