By Haley Whitt ‘15

Usually when we think of dolls, we think of the happiness and innocence of childhood. However, the horror movie “Annabelle” puts a perverse twist on a vintage childhood toy.

In “Annabelle” by John Leonetti, the director of noted horror films “Insidious” and “The Conjuring,” a couple experiences supernatural events that turn their world upside down. It all starts when a doll of theirs becomes possessed by a demon summoned by satanic cult members. As if this wasn’t baffling enough, the characters soon learn that the only way to get rid of the demon’s presence is to offer up one of their souls. This riveting prequel to “The Conjuring” keeps audience members squirming in their seats as the electrifying plot unravels.

The mother Mia (played by Annabelle Wallis) juxtaposes this exhilarating plot with her substandard acting. She bores the audience with her lack of expressive personality. Often times, her shrieks seem more forced than natural. On the other hand, Ward Horton, who plays the father John, misleads the audience into thinking he is evil with his fake persona. Whether this was intentional or not, he acts suspicious, and this confusing and distracting fact ends up taking away from the overall plot. In the scene where graphic drawings are shown, he acts too optimistic as he assures his wife that it means nothing and that things will be okay.

“Annabelle” combines satanic murders and bodily possession, two thrilling aspects of horror movies, to terrify the audience. The unexpected pop-ups are guaranteed to startle audiences, but the slight overuse of blankly staring figurines and machines turning on and off by themselves grows predictable.

This film had the potential to be the new “Exorcist” for contemporary audiences. The plot is often attention-grabbing and scary, but its lack of competent acting almost sinks the film. While “Annabelle” succeeds in scaring viewers in the moments they are watching it, the fear and memory of the film wears off as soon as they leave the theater.