Now that "Ted" has made it OK for stuffed animals to have a life and hang out with Mark Wahlberg, you'd think cinema would open that door to dolls as well. No such luck: Annabelle, a creepy girl doll resembling Chucky from "Child's Play," turns out to be a porcelain Satan from doll hell.
"Annabelle" is the bargain-basement quality, low-budget prequel to the "The Conjuring," which was a numbingly scary film — especially as it keeps reminding us, "Hey! This is based on a true story and you have every reason to be afraid for the rest of your life."
"Annabelle," however, is more tired, dutifully shocking but somehow failing to elicit old-school high-octave screams.
Pregnant wife Mia (Annabelle Wallis) lives with her doctor-husband John (Ward Horton) in a huge suburban house, and he gets her the titular doll as a gift. Nothing happens, until their new neighbors break into the house with some satanic-masonic cult types. Violence ensues, and Annabelle morphs from just a doll to a house-razing, baby-stalking, paranormal-activity-inducing creature wearing a permanent smile of sheer menace. Sadly, not one to remember.
| Rating | |
|---|---|
| Director | John R. Leonetti |
| Language | English |
| Opens | Feb. 28 |
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