'Annabelle Comes Home' movie review — Ghost adventures in babysitting

Annabelle Comes Home is Adventures in Babysitting by way of an evil possessed doll that wants to steal your soul. Groovy.

One sentence review: Annabelle Comes Home uses all the tricks in The Conjuring playbook to be one of the scariest and most entertaining movies in the franchise. The movie succeeds by going back to basics. Like the original film, it’s slow, deliberate, atmospheric, and most importantly, terrifying. It also carries on the tradition of inventive scares using some classic tactics — but it also isn’t afraid to subvert expectations. It’s the best film since the original.

Yet, it's still a step-down and a great example of why we need to move away from franchises. By being part of a cinematic universe, Annabelle Comes Home allows itself to be formulaic. That formula works but requires additional unique elements to keep it afloat. This movie comes close to having those elements but doesn't quite get there.

Where to watch Annabelle Comes Home: Now playing in wide release.

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