Annabelle, the highly anticipated prequel to The Conjuring, hasn't quite managed to hit the right spot with critics, who have not been polite about their dismay.

New Creepy Stills From Annabelle Revealed

Some of the verdicts for Annabelle are in and the movie doesn't seem to have impresses the critics as much, and is being accused of using trite scare tactics, which are old tricks in the book of horrors.

Enstars has rounded up some of the reviews to give fans an idea of how the film has fared with critics:

Director Discusses "Really Creepy" Occurrences At The Haunted Set While Filming

"Inanimate objects are deployed to endless would-be scary effect in "Annabelle," and it's not just the supremely creepy doll that is its star. In this prequel to last year's hit "The Conjuring" - one of the most effective haunted house movies of recent years - cheap jolts are provided by an errant sewing machine, a record player spinning The Association's hit "Cherish," heavy books, a malfunctioning elevator and even an unattended Jiffy Pop popcorn pan. The filmmakers literally throw in everything but the kitchen sink." -- The Hollywood Reporter

"Annabelle plunders relentlessly from other movies, and only occasionally in ways that suggest a self-awareness about its plagiarism. Beyond the usual paranormal pranks and peekaboo apparitions-some of them lifted directly from Wan, who produced-the film features two intervening professional..." -- A.V. Club

"The scares are cheap but periodically effective in Annabelle, a cut-rate spinoff from James Wan's superlative haunted-house hit The Conjuring that (partly) makes up in crude shock effects what it lacks in craft, atmosphere and just about every other department. Designed mainly as a starring vehicle for the eponymous, creepy-as-hell doll (who easily outclasses her human costars), this WB/New Line quickie will slake the thirst of die-hard genre fans put out by the abysmal Dracula Untold. Mere casual fright fans are advised to wait for the proper sequel, The Conjuring 2, due in 2015." -- Variety

"...But Annabelle drifts away from these potentially interesting elements into a more predictable collage of frights, demons and flickering lights, a grab bag of set pieces, red herrings and familiar occult tropes that never add up to much. And the doll is an oddly unthreatening figure, even when the movie is pushing all the anxiety buttons." -- Sydney Morning Herald

"Annabelle doesn't bring anything terribly new to the horror genre, but it stands alongside Insidious and The Conjuring as an engaging rollercoaster of boo-gotchas. And you might never look at dolls the same way again. Unless it's with gasoline and matches in hand." -- Toronto Sun

Annabelle is directed by John R. Leonetti and stars Annabelle Wallis as Mia Gordon, Ward Horton as Join Gordon, Alfre Woodard as Evelyn, Eric Laden as Detective Clarkin, Brian Howe as Pete Higgins and Tony Amendola as Father Perez.

The movie is set for release on October 3.

Watch the trailer for Annabelle here:

Tags
Annabelle, The Conjuring, Movies