“Insidious” is the type of horror film that will make your flesh crawl from the very first frame. Director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell — the visionaries who launched the “Saw” franchise — collaborate for their third project to
“Insidious” is the type of horror film that will make your flesh crawl from the very first frame. Director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell — the visionaries who launched the “Saw” franchise — collaborate for their third project to deliver a horror movie that relies on psychological thrills instead of buckets of blood.
The movie opens with the Lambert family moving into their new home complete with squeaky doors, long hallways, creaky floorboards and, of course, a dusty old attic.
It’s mother Renai that begins to notice things out of place — boxes disappear, books are knocked off of shelves and eerie whispers are heard over the baby monitor.
These happenings are pushed out of Renai’s mind when her son, Dalton, becomes comatose after a fall from a ladder. Doctors have no explanation of Dalton’s comatose state, and after three months in the hospital, the Lambert family take their son home.
That’s when the strange noises return, but this time it has the family packing its bags — a refreshing plot twist, since horror film families usually stay put inside of heir haunted home.
But unlike the Amityville house, the hauntings follow the Lambert family wherever they go.
Exorcist Elise Rainier and her two bickering colleagues deliver some much needed comic relief, but the terror quickly returns after a violent seance with the demons haunting the Lambert family.
The film doesn’t break any new ground in its genre. It’s similarities to the 1982 film “Poltergeist” and the psychological thrills remind me of Alfred Hitchcock’s films.
But what’s refreshing is to watch a horror film that relies on psychological elements to torture audiences, instead of cloaked killers murdering innocent bystanders.
The music cues adds to the frightfest, making “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” officially the creepiest song I have ever heard.
Wan’s direction of the camera draws the audience into the film. Quick cuts add to the startling suspense of the film and point-of-view camera angles make audience members wish they weren’t about to open the closet door.
“Insidious” is rated PG-13, but it is not recommended for young children. The film is geared towards a patient audience that is looking for a mental thrill. Those wanting to watch a quick slasher movie would be disappointed with the slow buildup of “Insidious.”
It is a haunting film that will make you leery of falling asleep.
