The creepy looking doll has appeared in a good number of films in the Conjuring Universe movies, even just little glimpses, and this was another spin-off prequel exploring what further nastiness it causes to characters that forced it to be locked in the glass box. Basically, set in 1972, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) confiscate the Annabelle doll from nurses Debbie (Kenzie Caplan) and Camilla (Sade Katarina), who claim that the doll often caused violent things to happen. During the drive back home, the doll summons spirits to attack Ed, but he narrowly survives. Annabelle is locked in a sacred glass case with a label saying "WARNING! POSITIVELY DO NOT OPEN" in the couple's artifacts room. The room is blessed often (fortnightly I think) by Father Gordon (Steve Coulter) to ensure the evil is contained. Sometime later, the Warrens welcome Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman), who will be babysitting their daughter, Judy (Mckenna Grace), at the house while they travel overnight to investigate another case. At school, Judy sees the spirit of a priest (Gary-7) that starts following her. Mary Ellen's friend Daniela Rios (Katie Sarife) arrives uninvited at the Warrens' home. Daniela is secretly curious about speaking to the dead, as her father passed away a short time ago. Finding the hidden key to the artifacts room, she unlocks it and looks around at the objects, including unlocking the glass case that contains the Annabelle doll. Whilst in the room, she holds a photograph of her late father, and tries to contact any spirit in the room, hoping to channel her father. After leaving the room, and leaving Annabelle's case unlocked, Daniela has unknowingly released the demonic spirit of Annabelle "Bee" Mullins (Samara Lee), and other nasty spirits of the objects in the room. Mary Ellen's crush Bob Palmeri (Michael Cimino) arrives outside and serenades her but is later attacked by the Black Shuck, a werewolf demon, and hides. Mary Ellen is tormented by the Ferryman, while Judy is confronted by Annabelle in her bedroom. Daniela had left earlier but sneaks back to return the artifacts room's keys. She gets locked inside the room and tormented by various objects, such as a piano and an old television that shows near future events. She sees her father twisted into a malevolent spirit, and an image of herself bloodied and screaming on the television screen after answering a cursed telephone. The real Daniela almost answers the telephone but is interrupted by Judy and Mary Ellen. Judy explains that they must lock Annabelle in her case again so the other spirits will go away. Bob protects Judy from the Black Shuck as she retrieves Mary Ellen's asthma inhaler, while Daniela is attacked and possessed by the Bride (Natalia Safran). Eventually, Mary Ellen and Judy find the doll when the spirit of the priest returns, acting as Judy's guardian, guides them. They manage to retrieve the glass case's key after they are attacked by demonic hands from the Feeley Meeley board game, and a possessed Daniela. They struggle to secure the case as the demon of the doll physically attacks them. Daniela recovers when Judy plays Ed's recorded footage of the Bride's exorcism and helps put the doll back in the case. After the case is locked, the spirits return to their slumber and the ghostly disturbance ends, and Bob reunites with the trio. Ed and Lorraine return the next morning, and the girls tell them everything that happened. Daniela apologises to Lorraine, who gives her a comforting message from her father. Later, many friends gather to celebrate Judy's birthday party. Also starring Natalia Safran as the Bride and Douglas Tait as the Black Shuck. Farmiga and Wilson get their moments reprising their roles as the demonologists, but it is focused much more on the younger cast, who do a good job. The pace however is often way too slow, the attempted jump scares are on and off, the special effects do their job, and the eerie atmosphere is alright, but I wanted more to happen and to be more thrilled, a slightly boring but not terrible supernatural horror. Okay!
Review of Annabelle Comes Home
