As the third Annabelle film, the eighth in The Conjuring universe, and following on the heels of two pretty big disappointments, you might guess that Annabelle Comes Home is destined for failure. I mean, how many stories can one doll have in her, right? Well, that’s where this one is a bit of a surprise – unleashing a whole series of Ed and Lorraine Warren cases in just one film, Annabelle Comes Home boasts worthy scares, empathetic characters, and well-timed comedy to boot. In the end, it’s a horror film worth catching in the theaters this summer.
Annabelle Comes Home picks up where The Conjuring leaves off—with spiritual 
experts Ed and Lorraine Warren taking home possessed doll, Annabelle, to contain its evil in their special locked room of artifacts. They realize that this particular conduit for bad spirits is worse than all the rest and deserves extra protection. But of course, that doesn’t stop teenage curiosity—especially in the late 1960s, when doors were left unlocked and suburban predators were just a myth.
When Ed and Lorraine leave on a job, babysitter Mary Ellen is charged with the care of their daughter Judy, played by the very talented Mckenna Grace, who is no stranger to horror, having “graced” the silver screen in Amityville: The Awakening, and the boob tube in The Haunting of Hill House. But Mary Ellen’s friend Daniela, driven by a curiosity 
about her own past, has other plans, and ends up poking around where she shouldn’t, unexpectedly unleashing an evil that is worse than any of them could imagine.
At first, I’m disappointed when I realize that there’s more of Ed and Lorraine in this film’s previews than in the actual full length feature, especially given the passing of the real-life spiritual expert herself earlier this year at age 92 (RIP, Lorraine). But a split second later I realize that this film does everything else pretty well. Unlike its more recent 
predecessors, the plot is simple—one house, one setting, one problem: demon unleashed. Simple, effective, scary, and above all, fun. If you’ve seen the previous movies, you know that the artifact room boasts a whole host of stories that could (and may yet, James Wan?) each become their own horror film. So why not give us a taste of this frighteningly fun grab bag?
Thankfully, director Gary Dauberman does just that. In Annabelle Comes Home the scares are suspenseful, eerie, and delightful, mixing jumpy moments, with creepy ghosts lurking in the corners, with monsters, and even with a bit of premonition. But unlike The Nun or The Curse of La Llorona, the mix of scares makes sense and is presented in an easy-to-follow storyline—no expert priests to call on, no lengthy explanation of solutions, just straightforward, “have you checked the children”-style summertime horror.
Plus, the film does well to weave in real-life cases that Ed and Lorraine investigated, as well as a quick cameo by the likeness of the real Annabelle doll herself. Perhaps this all suggests writers with little experience directing should be handed the megaphone more often—Dauberman clearly understands that the narrative arc provides the bones for any good horror film, and that the scares are the flesh and sinew layered on top.
The acting is also surprisingly good, and held down by three strong female leads. Grace’s character Judy grounds the film with a quiet strength and deliberate seriousness that is a refreshing departure from the usual young charge written into these films. Babysitter Mary Ellen plays a responsible but surprisingly tolerable and well-intended teen, and even the rebel Daniela has motivations with which anyone can empathize. Together, the three pack a powerful punch and carry the film, punctuated by some enjoyable male characters that pop in and out to offer just the right amount of comic relief.
SpecialK Verdict: It’s summer, so grab a friend, head to the theater, and prepare to cover your eyes with this fun, frightening flick—you won’t regret it.
Annabelle Comes Home opened everywhere Friday, June 28.
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