Annabelle - review

Annabelle is the full length horror movie based on the fictionalised version of the "true story" behind the demonic doll that featured briefly in the full length horror movie of the fictionalised version of the "true story" of Ed and Lorraine Warren's paranormal investigations in The Conjuring.

For as long as there have been horror movies, porcelain dolls have been creeping people out with their cold dead eyes and creepy stares and there was massive potential for some genuine scares here but when stretched over a 99 minute running time the result is an uninspiring Rosemary's Baby-esque tale of a woman becoming increasingly paranoid in her apartment but it becomes ridiculous as it is just a doll!

Despite an effectively creepy sequence in a lift that refuses to leave the basement, the film does fall down in a sequence where the doll turns around and stands up to face her targets becomes laughable.

2 stars

If this film is a success, we can expect to see tenuous prequels based on items based on successful horror movies.

Coming soon from the makers of Annabelle... The unhorrifying history of the television from Poltergeist before the Freeling family bought it.

Coming soon from the makers of Annabelle... Jigsaw! The gripping account of John Kramer completing various jigsaw puzzles before he became a serial killer.

Coming soon from the makers of Annabelle... "Shatner" - the terrifying true story behind the Captain Kirk Halloween mask that would be worn by killer Michael Myers.