That damn creepy doll....
...and the movie that does very little with it (or is that "her"?)
**
I think there are times when those involved in the making of a film are just too concerned with the bottom line, or perhaps are not quite assured in their ability to take an object (in this case a superbly creepy doll from the surprise Summer hit, "The Conjuring" from the previous year) and build a strong story around it. Whatever is the case, "Annabelle" (2014) made major bank in October last year, but certainly fared not as sumptuously with critics (or the audience, really, who typically came away offering lukewarm responses to it after seeing the film). I remember coming away feeling like it was a missed opportunity. Settling on the plot formula culled from "The Conjuring" regarding demonic activity conjured by a devil-worshiping couple (the girl of the couple assisting in the murder of her own parents), imprinted to the doll purchased by a med student for his pregnant wife (with a shine for dolls of that nature; the doll with the imprint quite coveted by her), "Annabelle" sticks to it without doing much else. I found the formula myself quite unimpressive. It is set around the Manson murders, and the couple massacring the neighbors of the Forms, John and Mia (Ward Horton and Annabelle Wallis), are similar in nature to those who gave their allegiance to Charlie. When Mia is stabbed by the man of the couple, nearly losing the child, with the girl gaining access to the doll and making sure she is able to conjure the demon before she perished, it sets in motion the dark spiritual activity later plaguing the Forms. Annabelle the doll is a device that supposed to be dutifully on display, but it is ultimately the only real treat this film has to offer.
I think the performances are just fine. No theatrics but the characters are rather vanilla, with Alfre Woodard saddled with a minor part rescued by her talents (she is able to apply a back story and emotional pain the part needs even though her character's development is only to service the ending as it rescues the mom from sacrificing herself for the baby). Neither Horton or Wallis do a thing incorrectly as their parts have them offering the appropriate reactions the formula expects from them.
There are some fun uses of the doll in shot compositions. It is quite a character even if the humans in the film with it really go through the motions that the basic plot requires. Watching it again this year on Cinemax, I was actually rather surprised at how little engaged I was. Once the priest is involved my energies dissipated even more because I could see the plot just continue down the rather tired path set before it. Can the forces of good stop the forces of evil? Typically the priest hasn't done so well in these movies lately, and in Annabelle, that is no exception. But someone was going to step up and take that demon on so that the others could be salvaged a rather unfortunate possession.
I will say this: the use of the Annabelle cult figure who murdered her parents as a specter has some effective moments to me. Like when she moves in the distance, in a room, as Mia is preoccupied, or as the priest plans to take the doll into his church to put it away. Besides the doll, her use is rather creepy also. But, other than those instances, I really considered this film rather underwhelming both times in the theatre and tonight. The film just doesn't take any chances. It follows a formulaic path to its end with little that is surprising or refreshing. The doll really is the star. The use of a different era in American history works okay, but even this isn't all that utilized like it could have been.
**
I think there are times when those involved in the making of a film are just too concerned with the bottom line, or perhaps are not quite assured in their ability to take an object (in this case a superbly creepy doll from the surprise Summer hit, "The Conjuring" from the previous year) and build a strong story around it. Whatever is the case, "Annabelle" (2014) made major bank in October last year, but certainly fared not as sumptuously with critics (or the audience, really, who typically came away offering lukewarm responses to it after seeing the film). I remember coming away feeling like it was a missed opportunity. Settling on the plot formula culled from "The Conjuring" regarding demonic activity conjured by a devil-worshiping couple (the girl of the couple assisting in the murder of her own parents), imprinted to the doll purchased by a med student for his pregnant wife (with a shine for dolls of that nature; the doll with the imprint quite coveted by her), "Annabelle" sticks to it without doing much else. I found the formula myself quite unimpressive. It is set around the Manson murders, and the couple massacring the neighbors of the Forms, John and Mia (Ward Horton and Annabelle Wallis), are similar in nature to those who gave their allegiance to Charlie. When Mia is stabbed by the man of the couple, nearly losing the child, with the girl gaining access to the doll and making sure she is able to conjure the demon before she perished, it sets in motion the dark spiritual activity later plaguing the Forms. Annabelle the doll is a device that supposed to be dutifully on display, but it is ultimately the only real treat this film has to offer.
I think the performances are just fine. No theatrics but the characters are rather vanilla, with Alfre Woodard saddled with a minor part rescued by her talents (she is able to apply a back story and emotional pain the part needs even though her character's development is only to service the ending as it rescues the mom from sacrificing herself for the baby). Neither Horton or Wallis do a thing incorrectly as their parts have them offering the appropriate reactions the formula expects from them.
There are some fun uses of the doll in shot compositions. It is quite a character even if the humans in the film with it really go through the motions that the basic plot requires. Watching it again this year on Cinemax, I was actually rather surprised at how little engaged I was. Once the priest is involved my energies dissipated even more because I could see the plot just continue down the rather tired path set before it. Can the forces of good stop the forces of evil? Typically the priest hasn't done so well in these movies lately, and in Annabelle, that is no exception. But someone was going to step up and take that demon on so that the others could be salvaged a rather unfortunate possession.
I will say this: the use of the Annabelle cult figure who murdered her parents as a specter has some effective moments to me. Like when she moves in the distance, in a room, as Mia is preoccupied, or as the priest plans to take the doll into his church to put it away. Besides the doll, her use is rather creepy also. But, other than those instances, I really considered this film rather underwhelming both times in the theatre and tonight. The film just doesn't take any chances. It follows a formulaic path to its end with little that is surprising or refreshing. The doll really is the star. The use of a different era in American history works okay, but even this isn't all that utilized like it could have been.
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