The Conjuring films are some of the best mainstream Horror flicks to come out over the last decade. They aren't the standard for the genre by any means, but I'll always remember them very fondly. When Warner Bros. first announced that they were dipping their toes in spin-offs and prequels, I found myself scratching my head, and the first Annabelle film felt like the nail in the coffin for the franchise. Suddenly, Annabelle: Creation hit theatres and actually surprised many viewers, including me. For that alone, I was interested in this third instalment, seeing as they won me over with its predecessor. Annabelle Comes Home isn't worth seeing in theatres, but I wouldn't recommend completely dismissing it if you're a fan of this series.

Taking place after Annabelle: Creation, but before The Conjuring, the timeline of these films have begun to feel a little messy. This film picks up with familiar characters to the franchise in Ed and Lorraine Warren, as they discover the Annabelle doll. Once locked up in their cellar, their daughter's babysitter and her friend all find themselves being haunted in mysterious ways. While there are some creepy moments, this movie doesn't feel like an Annabelle film all that often. I would guess that the doll itself received about 10-20 minutes of screentime in a 105-minute film.

Where I feel this franchise has had the most success is actually in it's developed characters. It was nice to see Ed and Lorraine on-screen together again, and although there are a few great dramatic elements sprinkled throughout this movie, Annabelle Comes Home almost takes advantage of that too often. Yes, there are scary aspects to this film, but I found myself seeing it as more of a drama than a Horror film, which worked but also felt conflicting at the same time.

Being a solid screenwriter for Horror, Gary Dauberman takes the helm as director on his first feature film and I would say that is actually one of the best aspects of Annabelle Comes Home. From some great imagery to overall terrifc cinematography overall, this is a movie that definitely looks the part. With that said, it pails in comparison to the rest of the movie. The look and tone of the movie are weighed down by a dramatic story that only wishes to focus on the drama of this universe.

In the end, Annabelle Comes Home isn't as impressive as Annabelle: Creation or either one of the Conjuring movies, but is eons better than the first Annabelle and The Nun, is that says anything. This is a very average movie as a whole and doesn't really state a purpose for existing, other than having some good family drama with the family we have come to love in this franchise since the beginning. For Horror fans, you'll probably be disappointed, but for those just looking to see a decent movie, you may find yourself slightly satisfied.