"Annabelle: Creation" is a Superior Sequel that Delivers in all the Ways You Would Want from a Horror Movie (Also this week: "Detroit" Review)

 
   Over the years I've come to really enjoy horror films. I think I've always enjoyed them, but over time I've learned the integral aspect of movie-going, in that if you open yourself up to the story no matter the genre - within the magical bounds of a cinema - the movie becomes more of an experience. For me that aspect seems to ring truer for horror films because that's their whole intent: to give the audience an experience. There are many classic horror films, and even more classic horror failures. This year in particular has seen some really great horror films, starting the year off with the critically-acclaimed Get Out. If you were to ask me though what my current favorite horror movies were, I'd have to say it would be the James Wan-helmed films The Conjuring and Conjuring 2. Both are fantastic movies beyond their genre, brilliantly crafted and scary as hell. With their success we're beginning to see a cinematic universe bloom. We were introduced to the creepy doll Annabelle in The Conjuring, and her solo film Annabelle was a mediocre bout that lacked some of the magic from its predecessor, but was still pretty scary. In Conjuring 2 we were introduced to that frightening Nun, who will be getting her own solo film in 2018. This weekend marks the fourth film in the Conjuring universe, Annabelle: Creation. Let me just start off my saying that it's not as good as the two Conjuring films...but it far surpasses the first Annabelle in every way. I left this movie shaken.

   Annabelle: Creation is - as its title would suggest - the origin story of the horrific-looking doll we've all come to know and love. Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker (Anthony LaPaglia) and his wife (Eowyn of Rohan--I mean, Miranda Otto) welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home. Soon after their arrival, they become the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle. Thus, terror ensues. The story is pretty straight-forward, and yet it brings a level of freshness that I was not expecting. James Wan set the tone for this franchise by shooting his films in a way that subverts the typical horror tropes of old. If there is one common thread through the four movies within this franchise, it is the use of tension. Moments are dragged out to almost an unbearable length. Just when you think something is going to happen, nothing does, only to have something unexpected happen when you least expect it. Annabelle: Creation does this quite a bit, and really effectively. If you're a fan of these films and are familiar with the universe there are moments that illustrate the connective thread (world-building if you will) that doesn't necessarily feel forced but are well-placed, while managing to still give you a fresh and terrifying story that goes non-stop from beginning to end.

   The acting in this movie is really well done. As with a lot of horror movies, creepy kids are usually a factor. The two stand outs for me in this movie were the two main girls played by Lulu Wilson and Talitha Bateman. They interact with the Annabelle doll the most, as well as the evil presences connected to it. Sometimes when you deal with the supernatural it can come off as hokey, but just as in the previous Conjuring Cinematic Universe films, it's done with finesse and tension to boot. Yes there are jump scares, but it's the tension - typically built upon the shoulders of the characters' stupid decisions (why would you go into the creepy room when you were told not to?! Idiot!) - that ultimately house the movie's greater scares. At the center of a lot of these moments are the characters of Linda and Julia, played by Wilson and Bateman respectively. Their reactions are genuine and they do a fantastic job at grounding their characters in a state of believability amidst the craziness that ensues around them. The supporting cast does a great job and doing just that, supporting the two main leads. You care just enough about them to feel as scared as they are in the various situations that arise. But ultimately it's within the narrative of Linda and Julia that the horror takes place.

   The production of this movie is really well done. Director David F. Sandberg, who gave us last year's creepy and original horror stand out Lights Out, really capitalizes on the use of tension to draw out the scares. He's not afraid to let the frame sit on a poorly lit area for what feels like an uncomfortable amount of time. Because audiences have been so trained to expect certain things from our horror movies that when these tropes don't occur when we expect them to, it becomes chaos. I found myself expecting a scare, only to then frantically search the screen after it doesn't occur, trying to figure out ultimately where the scare will come from. It is a freakin' thrill ride. From the writing to the direction this movie delivers a truly terrifying and exciting experience. Annabelle: Creation is one of the better horror films to have come out this year, and I'm excited to see where this horror franchise goes next. I highly recommend seeing this film in the theater. If you're a horror fan in general, you're gonna really like this movie. As a sequel it surpasses the first Annabelle by leaps and bounds. Though not quite as good as the Conjuring films, it's still a high-quality horror movie and those just shouldn't be missed. PLUS, as an added bonus, you'll get to see a special first-look of the upcoming Stephen King adaptation It, approximately four minutes worth and from the looks of it...we should be getting a truly horrifying film come September.


ALSO THIS WEEK:

   I had a chance to watch  Kathryn Bigelow's latest film Detroit, which is the story set amidst the chaos of the Detroit Rebellion in the 60s. With the city under curfew and as the Michigan National Guard patrolled the streets, three young African American men were murdered at the Algiers Motel, and this film delivers this story with the intensity that is usually present with Bigelow's films. The movie itself is a reflection of a time that unfortunately still seems to resonate in areas of the country today. It is a harrowing film, shot beautifully with some really great performances buy its vast cast. The one thing that bugged me, and it's mainly a marketing thing, is that the trailers made it seem as if John Boyega would be the main guy in the film. He's in practically the entire trailer. Truth is, the guy is barely in the movie. And what little we get of him is void of any dialogue. He's fantastic in what we see of him, but I think it's a little shady to ride the popularity of an actor as a means for getting people to see the movie. They did this with The Circle. Boyega (and Tom Hanks for that matter) was in maybe five minutes of the whole movie, but his face is plastered all over the marketing. Maybe this is a pointless rant, but twice now I've seen films market heavy on the prowess of an actor that is barely in the movie. Boyega is a great actor. He commits to every roll he's in. I just wished we could've seen more from him in this film because Detroit is a powerful, moving, and relevant film that rides the line between exploration and glorification. It's hard to watch at times, but in the end it's worth a viewing.