Well, if this is the face of new, modern horror, I like it. Insidious is another horror movie about a family moving into a haunted house. It borrows a lot from popular movies like Poltergeist, Paranormal Activity, and The Exorcist. You already know what you’re in for. There will be some strange sounds, sudden movements in the shadows, and creepy creaking floors. And yet I was on the edge of my seat, I mean, my bed, almost the entire time. Despite the familiar plot, characters, and scares, Insidious is one scary horror movie. James Wan of his Saw fame created a horror Frankenstein and he is very much alive and frightening.
The story keeps twisting and turning and you’re never really sure what’s going to happen. It keeps pulling the rug under you, leaving you in this state of constant confusion and fear. And satan forbid you watch this movie alone. I mean, I wasn’t alone and yet I had trouble sleeping as I kept hearing something “move” in the bathroom. To make things even weirder, Insidious is a PG-13 movie without almost any graphic violence and gore. This is something I wasn’t expecting, especially from a guy who made one of the nastiest horror movies of the early 2000s.
However, Wan himself said that he wanted to make a more traditional horror movie. A movie that’s not going to rely on gruesome and sometimes disturbing graphic imagery to shock the viewer. And he pulled it off. I just think that we should’ve gotten a better villain. It would appear that Wan struggles with this part of the movie. A part where you need to be both creative and effective, to strike a balance between the two. Another thing I wasn’t expecting was that dreary and intense atmosphere amplified by excellent camerawork.
Wan was shifting between claustrophobia and some weird Hellraiser agoraphobia. Wow, I think that by the end of this movie recommendation, we’re going to mention every fucking horror masterpiece. Of course, all of this would be in vain if we didn’t have a good cast. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne were excellent along with young Ty Simpkins. I think he has a bright future ahead of him. I still can’t believe that the budget for this movie was just $1.5 million. It went on to make more than $100 million at the box office alone.
So, I think it’s safe to say that we can expect a sequel coming pretty soon. Now, you should also know that Insidious is a movie of two halves. The first one is more slowburning and creepy while the second one is a bit over-the-top. I personally appreciated the willingness to take things to the next level although I do admit that they sometimes felt silly. So, just be aware of this and beware of the REDRUM. Oh, I mean, red room, I do apologize.
Director: James Wan
Writer: Leigh Whannell
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor, Lin Shaye, Barbara Hershey
Fun Facts: There’s a clear homage to the movie Poltergeist when one of the guys operating the cameras puts a raw steak on his head. Moreover, the countertop in the kitchen is identical to the one featured in the eighties classic.
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/
