“Last night I watched
myself sleep.”
Horror film sequels are an iffy thing at best. They are also an acquired taste. There are some average horror films and some
exceptional ones. Even the best of them,
loose their sense of terror with each viewing.
For example, "The
Exorcist" doesn't get scarier every time you watch it. We can almost say the same thing about "Insidious Chapter 2.” The good thing for horror fans who enjoy
James Wan's brand of the paranormal, is that "Insidious
Chapter 2" retreads familiar ground using many of the same tropes that
he has been toying with in the first "Insidious"
film and also in "The Conjuring.”
With horror films, sometimes too much of a good thing, is that over time, it becomes dull and uninspired. This is the case with James Wan and Leigh Whannel's sequel to the horror film "Insidious.” Nine years ago they brought something new to the torture porn sub-genre of horror with their "Saw" films (They were involved with the first few films), and they have done this now in the paranormal sub-genre. They did this first in 2007 with "Dead Silence" and then again with "Insidious.” This summer James Wan and the Hayes brothers (Chad and Carey) brought us frights with "The Conjuring.” In "The Conjuring," the story focuses on a haunted house and the possession of the family’s mother. While "Insidious" centers on the demon's infestation of the father's body. In-spite of Wan's use of tension building, and perfecting the timing of jump scares, "Insidious Chapter 2" is not as scary as the original film. But it is still creepy and definitely worth watching.
With horror films, sometimes too much of a good thing, is that over time, it becomes dull and uninspired. This is the case with James Wan and Leigh Whannel's sequel to the horror film "Insidious.” Nine years ago they brought something new to the torture porn sub-genre of horror with their "Saw" films (They were involved with the first few films), and they have done this now in the paranormal sub-genre. They did this first in 2007 with "Dead Silence" and then again with "Insidious.” This summer James Wan and the Hayes brothers (Chad and Carey) brought us frights with "The Conjuring.” In "The Conjuring," the story focuses on a haunted house and the possession of the family’s mother. While "Insidious" centers on the demon's infestation of the father's body. In-spite of Wan's use of tension building, and perfecting the timing of jump scares, "Insidious Chapter 2" is not as scary as the original film. But it is still creepy and definitely worth watching.
As sequels go, this chapter gives the audience a sense of
closure to the ordeal that the Lambert family has been dealing with. We spend the first 10 minutes of the film
back in 1986 reliving the meeting between a younger Lorraine Lambert (Jocelin
Donahue), her son Josh (Garrett Ryan) and mediums Carl (Hank Harris) and Elise
(Lindsay Seim). In a scene reminding me
of "Paranormal Activity,"
Carl and Elise record a session with Josh to determine who or what is haunting
him. The scene is memorable and ties in
nicely with the climax. Back in the
present, it is only moments after grown up Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Dalton (Ty Sympkins) have returned
from the Further. While the family was
celebrating in another room, Elise (Lin Shaye) takes a picture of the returned Josh, only to
discover the creepy old woman that has been haunting him and his son inhabits
his body. Josh murders Elise and then
leaves the room only to return when his wife Renai (Rose Byrne) enters the room
and discovers the grisly scene.
"The shadows are your home now."
The police question Renai about Elise's death. Suspicion is already pointing at Josh, and
Renai is hesitant on voicing her fears about her husband. While the police hold the Lambert's home as a
crime scene, the family moves in with Lorraine.
On my list of places I refuse to go are creepy old houses, with creaky
wooden floors and squeaky wooden doors. Lorraine's
house is the perfect setting with plenty of rooms, and filled with things that
go bump in the night. Immediately, Renai's
suspicion of Josh grows as the strange noises, and visions continue. Dalton's night terrors returns, and all this sets
the backdrop for the true horror that is to begin. If you saw the first film "Insidious" then you already
know that the demon that lived in Dalton is now in Josh. In that film, Renai endures the most
of the terror as we lead up to climatic third act.
Screenwriter Leigh Whannell splits the story in two and now
we follow Lorraine as she contacts Elise's investigative companions Specs
(Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson). Weird,
creepy stuff starts happening in her creepy old house as soon as her son moves
in, and she needs their help in finishing
off this demon thing that is haunting her family. I don't have a major issue with splitting the
story, and subsequently the cast, along with the scares. This may make for more story, but it is a less
intense story. As it turns out, Specs
and Tucker decide to call on Carl, the medium friend of Lorraine's from the
1980's. He arrives, older, and hopefully
wiser. Carl's (Steve Coulter) method of
talking with the dead is with lettered dice.
The answers to the questions Carl asks appear as he drops the cubes on a
table. For me, this is one of the more
interesting aspects of ghost hunting.
“A dead soul killing
living skin...”
Renai's life hasn't gotten any better. She still hears voices on her daughters
baby monitor as director Wan throws all the "Poltergeist"
tropes at her. Josh is acting strange,
talking to himself, and making freaky faces.
Most folks would compare Josh's decent into madness to Jack Torrance’s
in "The Shining.” I think in Jack's case, it was in fact
madness, whereas I think Josh's is more about spiritual possession. A very specific spirit possesses Josh. As it turns out, Lorraine and her ghost
busting friend’s investigation leads to a dead serial killer who has some real mommy and gender issues. The two stories interweave back
and forth and ultimately not only tie back to each other, the story cleverly ties
directly back to the first "Insidious"
film.
Something to note, is that the tension starts out
immediately. From the campy "Insidious”, title card with Joseph
Bishara's creepy, over the top musical score hitting both deep and high tones
as he sets the dread-filled atmospheric environment. The music drives the 1980's segment as the
young Lorraine plays hot or cold with the malignant spirit. The music heightens the scene as a strange
woman in white smacks the crap out of Renai in Lorraine's living room. The tension is there, the jump scares too,
just something seems to be missing. Maybe
we, as an audience are desensitizing ourselves to murder, ghosts that walk in
front of the camera, or appear and disappear within the frame, and somebody
really needs to oil all the doors and floorboards.
The acting in this new chapter is solid. Coulter is great and likable as Carl, and Rose Byrne plays Renai as tired and haggard. Patrick Wilson, does possession well. Ty Simpkin's Dalton provides that innocence that we got from the first film. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson reprise the film's comedy relief. Lin Shaye is a welcome sight as Elise and gives hope to the family. Barbara Hershey provides her character with the strength that this family needs.
The acting in this new chapter is solid. Coulter is great and likable as Carl, and Rose Byrne plays Renai as tired and haggard. Patrick Wilson, does possession well. Ty Simpkin's Dalton provides that innocence that we got from the first film. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson reprise the film's comedy relief. Lin Shaye is a welcome sight as Elise and gives hope to the family. Barbara Hershey provides her character with the strength that this family needs.
Director James Wan, I think has proved to himself and
to us, that he has all the elements of the paranormal horror genre down pat. It is time for Whannell and Wan to move on to
something new. As of this date, we know
James Wan is filming the next "Fast
and Furious" film, and I am hoping that this will give him some time
to come up with new ways of terrorizing us.
In spite of Wan’s reuse of techniques that he perfected with his last two films, "Insidious Chapter 2" is
enjoyable as it is scary and fulfills all of your nightmarish dreams.
In theaters starting Friday, 13 September 2013
Related
Insidious Chapter 2 ~ Family CurseInsidious Chapter 2 ~ It's Still Happening
Insidious Chapter 2 ~ First Look Trailer
Insidious Chapter 2 ~ First Look
Reviewing a New American Horror Classic - Insidious
Movie Data
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Year: 2013
Staring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins
Director:James Wan
Producer(s): Jason Blum,Oren Peli,Steven Schneider
Writer: Leigh Whannell
Rating: PG-13
Year: 2013
Staring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins
Director:James Wan
Producer(s): Jason Blum,Oren Peli,Steven Schneider
Writer: Leigh Whannell
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 105 minutes
Release Date: 9/13/2013
Release Date: 9/13/2013
All images are courtesy of Film District
