You ever have those moments when you find yourself looking at something you know you shouldn't because it will make it very difficult to fall asleep or use the potty in the middle of the night? Horror films involving dolls have that effect on me. There is just something about the soulless eyes of a doll that make me think if I look at it long enough, its going to say "Hi my names Chucky!", then he jumps up and starts smacking my face like Batman smacking Robin.
I was one of the few people who enjoyed the first Annabelle movie because it provided creepy-doll-pee-my-pants scares, but I acknowledged it had major flaws. What really separated the first Annabelle movie from the second is the change from using jump scares to using the far more effective slow burn scares. At different times of the movie I found myself plugging my ears like I was at a nickelback concert, because that devil-doll was running all about the house so quickly I could never identify where she was at, and minutes would go by before I found any resolution. Slow burn scares are far more effective because they build up a sense of dread for the viewer, and provide more time to get emotionally involved with the characters so when they kick the bucket you're far more horrified.
Annabelle Creation is a part of a promising cinematic universe that, in my opinion, rivals other more popular universes such as Marvel or DC. I haven't seen the NUN yet, but if this movie is any indicator where the series is going then I'm already psyched!
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
