A third outing for that damned doll, and yet more proof that “the Conjuring Cinematic Universe” is indestructible. Do the maths. Every critic is talking about Midsommar, which has made roughly $12 million. No critic is talking about Annabelle Comes Home, which has already earned $135 million.
Proudly retro and coyly innocent, it’s the perfect movie for a tweeny sleepover. Judy (Mckenna Grace) is the lonely, devout daughter of demonologists the Warrens (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), who have a basement room full of spooky objects, including Satan’s conduit, aka Annabelle.
When Judy’s parents take a trip they leave Judy in the care of wholesome babysitter Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman). The latter has a troubled best friend, Daniela (Katie Sarife). Naturally, when Daniela goes a-snooping in the basement, all hell breaks loose.
I say hell. Coins get chucked around. A bottle of milk gets smashed, along with a guitar. Director Gary Dauberman includes jump scares aplenty, but that’s about it in terms of permanent damage.
Grace is a talented actress with a gripping, witchy face. As for Sarife, she gets mileage out of some decent lines. While attempting to wake the dead, Daniela spots a picture of Jesus and murmurs: “Don’t judge me.”
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