Insidious Review

Australian director James Wan has really built up a strong career as a film director. Starting out with the well known Saw (the first one), The Conjuring and its sequel, and even Furious 7, the newest installment of the Fast & Furious franchise. One of his better known films is Insidious, a supernatural horror film. This is the first in a trilogy with a fourth one due to be released next year. It was released in 2011 to favorable reviews from critics and it is not hard to see why.

Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson (a frequent Wan collaborator) play the Lamberts who are worried when their son falls into an inexplicable coma. Strange things keep happening around their house such as items being moved and Renai (Byrne) seeing figures. They get the help of a team of demonologists (lead by Lin Shaye) to help figure out what exactly is going on.

It seems that since the release of Paranormal Activity that there is a spike in the release of Haunted House films. However this is a fresh new take on the sub-genre. James Wan knows the genre. He focuses less on blood and gore and more on tension and jump scares. The cast is all fine and they all do a good job including Ty Simpkins who is in a coma most of the film. The direction is wonderful. The shots are smooth and there is not many shaky cam sequences. The final act lags a bit. It seems to drag on at points but it does pick up. The final act could have also been set in a place other than the house, especially since the world is called "The Further" but your mind won't think much about it as it goes on. The final villain is scary but just a bit underwhelming. Just a bit. And points to Wan for taking a beautiful, innocent child's song and turning it into the creepiest thing that I have seen in a long time.