Annabelle Comes Home (2019) Review
In memory of paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, I review the most recent entry in The Conjuring universe. Following the evil exploits of everyone’s favourite demonic doll, Annabelle, having taken up residence in the Warren’s occult collection menaces their daughter Judy and her babysitters when they are left alone for a night. What occurs is veritable carnival carousel ride of ghosts, demons and monsters as the three girls must fight for their very souls in a frightening game of cat and mouse.
Following on from yet another instalment that was released earlier this year, The Curse of La Llorona, Annabelle Comes Home may begin to hint of something like franchise fatigue. The film is stuffed full of the franchise’s all too familiar stark and creepy atmosphere with its well-timed jump scares and suitably hideous monsters, spooks and spectres. Since the release of The Conjuring (2013), these films are well received critically and, of course, make quite a bit of money.
This formula, though repetitive, works well for the sort of films that they are; popcorn horror, the type of horror to watch on a date for the cheap (though well-paced) thrills they offer. Personally, my philosophy is ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ this film much like its predecessors, and doubtless its successors, is good fun and worth the price of admission. The pace is relatively quick and it affects a quality not unlike that of a haunted house fairground ride, with much the same sort of logic behind it, there is no reason for the monster to be hiding under the sheets, it simply is! So scream and have a good time.
But, despite the horrors, these films do shine with heart. At its core this film is about the loss of a loved one, as one of the characters must deal with the loss of her father, in particular her desire to contact him from beyond the grave. This provides the catalyst for the film’s events, but is refreshing in some way to think that the monsters were let out of their cages not by some silly teen who was too drunk and stupid to know better, but rather a grieving daughter seeking conciliation and comfort.
McKenna Grace, a young actress who has been making the rounds in films such as Captain Marvel (2019) and t.v. shows such as The Haunting of Hill House (2018) appears in the film as Judy Warren. Grace is ultimately the primary acting draw of the film, capably infusing her role with a vulnerability and urgency, an ability that far belies her years.
Overall, Annabelle Comes Home is a scary though undeniably charming film. The franchise may be beginning to run on fumes, but when things remain as entertaining as this, does it really matter?
BENJAMIN WYLDE.
