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Parents' Guide to

Annabelle

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Bloody "Conjuring" prequel is scary, if not too original.

Movie R 2014 98 minutes
Annabelle Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 27 parent reviews

Goodtvmovies
Goodtvmovies Adult
January 7, 2021
age 14+

It’s good for ages 14+

There is some gory parts like a character gets stabbed. There is many frightening moments. But my 12 year old watched this and she was fine after.
Cool jerkerama
Cool jerkerama Adult
July 2, 2019
age 11+
People need to know that this movie is not as bad as Common Sense Media says. When it comes to violence there is only like 1 or 2 violent scenes but nothing worst then something you would see in a PG-13 horror movie. When it comes to the sexual content in this film there is actually none not one bit except when he kisses his wife but you see that in everything so it’s not bad at all. When it comes to language there’s really nothing except the word hell or crap. There’s no drugs or alcohol except wine. Overall this movie is not that bad with violence there’s no sexual content and no language. This movie is fine for people 11 or older
See all 27 parent reviews

What's the Story?

ANNABELLE's story takes place before the events of The Conjuring, following the titular evil doll. In the late 1960s, young couple Mia (Annabelle Wallis) and John (Ward Horton) are expecting their first baby. As a gift, John gives Mia a creepy doll for her collection. With images of the Manson Family murders showing on the television, two murderous creeps break into Mia and John's home; while John fights them off, Mia is stabbed, and Annabelle is caught in the fray. Soon terrifying things begin to happen. The baby is born, and the couple moves to a new apartment, but the disturbances continue, and the ghosts and spooky disturbances give way to images of a demon. With the help of a bookseller (Alfre Woodard), Mia learns that the doll won't stop until it possesses a human soul.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (27 ):
Kids say (114 ):

This movie is probably fairly forgettable, though horror fans will get a quick kick out of it. The Conjuring was an excellent horror film that introduced two real-life ghostbusters, the Warrens, who seemed poised to be the subjects of many good sequels. But instead/in the meantime, this quickie spin-off/prequel was devised, directed by the cinematographer of the previous film, John R. Leonetti, without any of the original cast. Annabelle doesn't bring a single new idea to the screen, and most of the scares are of the jump-shock variety.

But some of the old standbys still work, and Annabelle is certainly well-made; it's directed with patience, a sense of space, and incredible period detail. The performances are fine, especially Woodard as a grieving mother who runs a helpful bookshop, and the characters are sympathetic and intelligent. (The husband could take offense to his wife's experiences, but he chooses to support her.)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Annabelle's violence. How did it affect you? How much is shown, and how much is withheld?

  • Is the movie scary? How does it compare to other horror films you've seen? What makes something scary -- and what's the appeal of scary movies?

  • If The Conjuring was based on a true story, does Annabelle also feel like a true story? Does it make you believe in ghosts?

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