Annabelle: Creation is possibly one of the few better examples of a franchise spin-off done right—and it is partly because most of them are spawned with the all-too-common intent by studios and production houses to turn their successful franchises into eternal cash cows. Films like Logan and Get Him to the Greek might exist as exceptions, but they’re droplets in a pool of the creatively uninspired likes of Elektra, Planes, and Minions. More importantly, though, it is also the perfect example of how to breathe new life in a previously loathsome spinoff film with a massively improved follow-up—much like last year’s warmly received Ouija: Origin of Evil.
Director David F. Sandberg, in his sophomore feature, knows fully well what he wants in the film. Sure, it starts off predictably—almost as if to fool you into thinking you’re in control. The first ten minutes of the film are a perfect example. You think you’ve figured out the plot—a tone has been set, the conflict is dealt with, and the characters are conventional enough to throw you off. Midway into the movie, though, you realize that you’re in for many pleasant surprises.
Or not, because this is quite the terrifying horror film, after all.
Sandberg uses a graph of growing discomfort, and between small brushstrokes of foreshadowing and the vividly horrifying experiences, the characters must face the buildup that is consistent. Making use of the least amount of decoy jump-scares—there is one because obviously, there is, but you can forgive it—and the contained universe it’s set in, Creation smashes the ambiance with its director’s incredible focus. What’s important to note is that the film works purely on the collective successes of these elements—including, but not limited to, cinematographer Maxime Alexandre’s terrific visual styling and the implosive score of Benjamin Wallfisch (A Cure for Wellness)—and not on its quasi-party trick: the eponymous haunted doll.
For this, you’d assume Sandberg would need all the solid actors he can get, and you’d be correct. Talitha Bateman moves from strength to strength as Janice, the disabled orphan kid mired in a world of insecurities and vulnerabilities. While she’s perfect in the first two acts, her terrific turn in the third deserves immense praise.
Each traditional thread is set only to lure you in, give you the false sense of being in control, and pull the rug out from under your feet.
Coming in a close second are Stephanie Sigman as the glue that sticks the crumbling orphanage together and Anthony LaPaglia as the grief-stricken father and husband. Nailing fear, strength, and perception—three of her character’s most important traits—Sigman brings Sister Charlotte alive. She might signify the conventional force of goodness if tropes are to be believed. Her massive emotional heft, however, makes viewers want to root for her if anything. LaPaglia isn’t too far behind. The portrayal of pain and self-inflicted isolation is a rather tricky tightrope to walk, and he impresses with every second of his presence.
Creation, with the power of a successful franchise backing it, could quite as easily have been a horror film as tired and turgid as its predecessor. John R. Leonetti (Wish Upon), who directed the 2014 monster success, did just that and made a critic-proof hit. With its follow-up, however, you can see that Sandberg isn’t too keen on repeating history. One could argue that the movie traverses many clichéd pathways. Each traditional thread is set, however, only to lure you in, give you the false sense of being in control, and pull the rug out from under your feet. Every setup at every turn is just a decoy for its many significant payoffs.
Annabelle was the story of a supernatural bully without motive. Annabelle: Creation, on the other hand, uses its eponymous McGuffin to take viewers through what the fear of the self is like and how the demons of low self-esteem have the dangerous potential of being all-consuming. It might not be as poetic or masterful as The Conjuring and its sequel, but if Lights Out has taught viewers anything, it is that Sandberg is never just about the scares. There’s always more to the conventions he uses that meets the eye.
That’s mostly what makes horror one of the most exciting genres to watch.
