Annabelle Comes Home review — Her tagline is: “Miss me?” Fortunately, she still hasn’t worn out her welcome with this sinister third installment.

Determined to keep the possessed doll known as “Annabelle” from killing anyone else (see: the first two Annabelle movies), demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) lock the haunted toy away in a barricaded room in their house. Keeping Annabelle company are a bunch of other evil artifacts. Of course, this creepy collection turns the whole house into a cauldron of paranormal poison when someone unlocks that door and unwittingly releases its prisoners.

How could the Warrens let something like this happen, you might be wondering? Well, they are off fighting some other demons out of town and have to leave their 10-year-old daughter Judy (McKenna Grace) with her teenage babysitter, Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman). Mary Ellen’s friend Daniella (Katie Sarife) and boyfriend Bob (Michael Cimino) come over, and before the pizza can be delivered all hell breaks loose.

This flick is right on trend. There’s a new low-budget horror thriller Dolls streaming, plus a kid’s movie called Ugly Dolls, and now that we’ve got Child’s Play and Annabelle Comes Home in theaters, it’s safe to say 2019 is definitely the year of the doll.

Annabelle Comes Home is certainly the best of the bunch, thanks to the experience and acumen of the filmmakers behind it. As part of the wildly successful The Conjuring universe, it’s easy for producer and creator James Wan to attract the very best cast and crews to further the formula.

While Annabelle Comes Home is indeed formulaic, it’s so slick and so much fun, you really don’t mind the calculated manipulation of your fears and tears. The characters are just developed enough to make you care, and the doll is more than terrifying enough to get you all white-knuckled with tension. And since Annabelle is not alone, there’s a lot to be scared of! From werewolves to eyeless corpses, the Warrens have collected the whole set. While the film is Rated R, it relies less on gore and more on suspense.

Annabelle Comes Home is better than the last two installments of The Conjuring franchise (The Nun and The Curse of La Llorona) and is, in fact, the best of the Annabelle movies overall. Don’t “miss” this one!

Rated R
1 Hour 46 Minutes

If, after reading this Annabelle Comes Home review you’re dying to see it, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Annabelle Comes Home review — Her tagline is: “Miss me?” Fortunately, she still hasn’t worn out her welcome with this sinister third installment.