Madison Iseman, Katie Sarife and McKenna Grace star in a scene from the movie "Annabelle Comes Home." The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. (CNS/Warner Bros.)

By Catholic News Service

Lame third installment in the saga of the titular devilish dolly, set in the early 1970s, opens with her being safely locked away in the home of real-life do-it-yourself demonologists Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren. But when the couple travel out of town a year later, leaving their 10-year-old daughter (Mckenna Grace) in the care of her teen baby sitter (Madison Iseman), the nanny’s pal (Katie Sarife), anxious to communicate with her recently deceased father, unwittingly unleashes the figurine fatale with predictable results.

Franchise veteran Gary Dauberman penned and helms a mostly gore-free further spinoff of the “Conjuring” series and gives a veneer of Catholicism to the proceedings, though some questionable notions lie embedded beneath it. The upshot will frighten only the skittish.

Occult themes, some stylized violence with minimal blood, a couple of gruesome images, much anatomical wordplay, at least one use of rough language, several crude terms. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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