Netflix Dark R-Rated Supernatural Horror Turns True Story Into Scarefest
If you’re a fan of intense horror films, you’re likely already familiar with the Annabelle film series, which serves as a bloody, R-rated prequel to the Conjuring movies. The first Annabelle film is currently streaming on Netflix for those who need a good, hearty nightmare to prevent them from getting any sleep this weekend. The story, which centers on a haunted demonic doll, is actually based, very lightly, on a true story, just in case you needed a little bit of extra terror to really put a nail in your coffin.
A Conjuring Prequel
Annabelle first premiered back in 2014, shortly after the massive success of the first Conjuring movie. The film was written by It scribe Gary Dauberman and directed by Mortal Kombat: Annihilation filmmaker John R. Leonetti, with massive names such as Peter Safran and James Wan attached as producers. For those not in the know, Wan is an acclaimed filmmaker responsible for helming such movies as Furious 7, Aquaman, and Malignant, while Safran is the co-creative director of the DCU alongside James Gunn.
The Demonic Doll
The narrative of Annabelle centers on a couple named John and Mia, who purchase a vintage porcelain doll as a gift for their soon-to-be-born daughter. That very night, the couple are awakened to the sound of their next door neighbors being violently murdered by a pair of cult members, who also attempt to attack the couple as they call the police for help. Once the police arrive, they shoot one cultist dead, while the other, a young woman named Annabelle, slits her own throat while holding the doll.
Chuckie Would Love Her
As John and Mia attempt to move on from the traumatic experience, they become plagued with bizarre paranormal activity, which persists even as they discard the doll and move into a new apartment in another city. Unable to move on from the horrific violence that she witnessed on the night of the murders, Mia contacts the responding police officers, trying to dig deeper into the case to ease her mind. After learning that Annabelle and her friend were attempting to summon a demonic creature through an occult ritual, Mia and John come to learn that the porcelain doll has come to life, serving as a vessel for the otherworldly creature.
Predictable Porcelain Induced Punishment
As Annabelle builds to an explosive conclusion, the film plays out in a mostly predictable way. Still, the film is a fun watch for fans of horror, or anyone already made anxious by the notion of creepy doll eyes following them around the room.
Stream Annabelle On Netflix
GFR SCORE
Despite its massive pop culture impact and widespread support from horror fans, Annabelle received poor reviews from critics, who felt that the film paled in comparison to The Conjuring. Still, the movie managed to make over $257 million at the global box office against an estimated production budget of only $6.5 million, making it a major financial hit. Today, Annabelle maintains a paltry critic score of just 28 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with a slightly higher audience score of 35 percent.
If you’re interested in catching Annabelle today, the film can be streamed on Netflix.
