Annabelle: Creation (2018)

 

Yes, this is another film in the "Annabelle" series that goes back in time. Further than the first "Annabelle" film (the only one of the three I've seen in theaters), although the specific date or where the house is located is never elaborated. Maybe Midwest or Southwest perhaps? Unsure. Because of how this house is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by prairie and hilly landscape, a sunny terrain, the director could have some leeway from Anachronism Scholars. Eventually the screenplay ties this film to the 2014 original where the demon-possessed crippled girl--a sweetheart eventually corrupted when she could not escape the evil spirit called upon by parents LaPaglia and Otto, begging any spirit to return their daughter to them after she's hit by a speeding car racing down a dirt road--eventually is adopted by the couple murdered by her (and her hippie boyfriend, a callback to the Manson murders), neighbors to Annabelle Wallis, star of the first film.

The house is incredible and there's a big camera tour following LaPaglia as he shows the girls from the Catholic adoption, along with nun, Sister Charlotte (Sigman). It is weathered (the paint is withered and surrounding structure in serious need of some love) on the outside, but inside the home there is so much space, including a stairwell (even a chair that mechanically allows a handicapped person to travel to the upper floor bedrooms) and dumbwaiter (Lulu Wilson, the best friend of eventually possessed Bateman, eventually finds herself having to use it to rope escape the entity). Much like all the Wan-produced Conjuring Universe films, "Annabelle: Creation" has plenty of music cues that seek to jolt you, with lots of the evil demonic spirit using the doll to show up in different areas of the house (with Bateman), taking the form of Bee (Samara Lee), under a sheet, in the darkness, as a scarecrow, even showing itself before eventually lifting Bateman off the floor and dropping her from quite a distance. That was horrifying to me, actually. That little girl slamming to the floor, barely able to move, her face bloodied, the terror, impacted me personally. And her just unable to get away (I am thinking The Nun, Valak, pushed the wheelchair with Bateman into the barn where she is ultimately possessed for good), it is such a tragic poisoning of a sweet girl. The film flirts with this happening to Lulu, but she's able to avoid a similar horror.

The failure of the crucifix stuck out to me. LaPaglia's attempt to face off with the demon results in his fingers broken back and his entire body resembles what happens to victims encountering Samara from The Ring...the skin has lost its color, eyes rolled back, life seemingly drained from the body completely. Otto gets it even worse as she's found with her entire lower torso hacked away, the upper torso crucified...and prior to the girls' arrival, the left side of her face was clawed and eye gouged out.

The older girls sort of disregard Lulu and Bateman, sharing a room while they are unallowed to do so. Bateman's curiosity of Bee's room, finding the doll locked in a secret room with bible pages littering the door, despite LaPaglia telling her it was off limits truly sets in motion the demon's release and mischief. That mischief involves little slips of paper encouraging Bateman to look for "Bee", the secret room door not staying shut with the doll, a big dollhouse lighting up on its own, manifestations of an imitation Bee popping up, and even emerging as (I believe) Valak to spook Fulton and Coulthard, telling ghost stories under a sheet with a flashlight). The director toys with the dark and all that things go bump in the night jazz. Bee's room is so alluring to girls since it is filled with toys, dolls, and collectibles...and the demon has quite an advantage because of that.

I had a good time with this. The house itself was certainly a reason I found it irresistible, although all the spooky tricks and use of music are right out of the tried and true Hollywood playbook. If it works and success continues, why would I fault Wan and company from milking this cashcow until the tap has nothing left? 3/5