When was the last time you took the stairs to your apartment instead of the lift because the lights were out and did you turn back to imagine someone from the dark staring at you? If that is your idea of horror, the prequel to ‘The Conjuring’ might do the trick for you. The cinematographer of the movie directs this week’s scare fest- ‘Annabelle’ and tells us the story of the doll; also supposedly true like last year’s sequel and mentioned in yesteryear paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren’s book.
John (Ward Horton) and Mia (Annabelle Wallis) are a happily married couple who are expecting a baby soon. Things go awry when their neighbour’s estranged daughter Annabelle and her boyfriend, who are a part of a satanic cult get killed in their house. Annabelle dies holding a doll which John gifted Mia; a drop of her blood falling into it. Thus begins a series of unfortunate incidents and even when the two are gifted with a baby daughter and move to a new apartment, something evil follows them in the guise of
the doll.
Director John Leonetti does not rely on special effects instead, he builds up the tension slowly till he manages to successfully keep us engaged to the proceedings; which means the first forty odd minutes are plain average and you would rather ask yourself then- “Why the heck didn’t I wait for the DVD?” However, he reserves a few genuinely spooky scenes post that and if you have been patient enough to sit through it, you might as well be delighted. I’ll single out one particular scene where a strange little girl runs toward Mia while the door is about to close. It’s directed well like James Wan (also the producer here) did it in a few scenes in ‘Insidious’ and ‘The Conjuring’, clearly indicating where Leonetti derives his inspiration from. But that and two other scenes at the most are what would probably qualify as jump-in-your-seat moments. There isn’t anything much happening in the other reels apart from believable performances. Like any other average horror flick churned out these days, ‘Annabelle’ also has our protagonist browsing books in a library trying to figure out a way to put an end to the wrong. But nothing much is explained about Annabelle’s whereabouts and the satanic cult. Also, the climax is very unconvincing. Background score, very important for a good horror movie-going experience could have been better.
Never mind if you don’t remember ‘Dil Jo Bhi Kahey’ even if it had Big B in it, Annabelle Wallis starred in it. Extremely pretty here that you can’t take your eyes off her, she also pitches in a good performance and is the sole reason you might want to like the movie in spite of it falling short of scares. Ward Horton, last seen in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is okay. So is the supporting cast.
Watch it or not: Horror movie freaks can give it a try though it is just another mediocre attempt. ‘Insidious’ remains my pick among the newer spate of horror flicks.
At the Box-Office: Will cash in on the success of ‘The Conjuring’ and do decent business.
My Verdict
My Rating
2.5
If I had a silly hideous possessed doll like Annabelle, I’d have slapped it and demanded clever spooky ideas… so absent in most horror movies these days. Guess making one is no Child’s Play!
