Halloween means horror movie season and “Annabelle” has a few good scares just in time for that mood. A prequel to “The Conjuring,” Annabelle tells the tale of a possessed doll that terrorizes a housewife because a demonic entity wants her newborn baby’s soul.
To those who are wondering if “Annabelle” is worth the watch: I would say the movie is overall crazy and entertaining, especially for those looking for a scare. It certainly has everything you would want in a scary movie: a creepy-faced doll, satanic cults, freaky demons, and horrifying deaths— all moments of suspense and fear for the viewers. It is also quite a cliché and old-school style horror film with loud noise, heavy music cues, and things popping out at the right moment. In general, I get scared very easily watching horror films in the cinema, but I think this movie is a good watch because the original story itself and the plot are realistic and the scenes keep the audience engaged, excited, and thrilled.
After I finished watching “Annabelle” at Edwards Theater in Irvine Spectrum, I can say I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. From the trailers, I didn’t think this movie looked scary in the slightest, but while watching the movie, I found myself bringing my arms closer to my body in agonizing suspense. The doll’s face was so disturbing that every time the screen zoomed in on its face, I closed my eyes until the scene ended.
I found “Annabelle” exciting to watch because of how many scares there were in addition to its original story. A lot of times, I found myself bracing for the scare at the end of a drawn out scene or long panning shot, but the scare never arrived. Appropriate jump scares are placed throughout the film, and I was affected by all of them. There were scenes when I found myself needing to close my eyes or look away while everyone else screamed and reached out to hold their significant others’ forearm.
For anyone who is thinking of seeing “Annabelle,” I highly recommend it, for it is an effective thriller full of genuinely scary moments. The cinematography was great and the sound editing gives viewers that jittery, panicky feeling.
Starting off the Halloween season, “Annabelle” is surely worth seeing, that is, if you like horror movies.