Insidious: Chapter 2
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Barbara Hershey
Director: James Wan
Rating: 3/5
It was back in 2011 when we were introduced to the Lambert family for the first time in Insidious.
This autumn James Wan is back in the director's chair for Chapter 2; having already enjoyed huge horror box-office success this year with The Conjuring.
So can the director send chills down our spines once again this Friday 13?
When the Lambert family are once again plagued by hauntings they set out to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected with the spirit world.
Insidious left audiences on a big of a cliffhanger as Josh Lambert returned to him family but perhaps wasn't himself - this movie picks up where that left off.
I like Wan as a horror director as there is something very old-fashioned about how he crafts his horror movies; it is not all about CGI but about building tension and suspense with every frame.
It is something that he has done so expertly in the past but, for some odd reason, fails to achieve with Insidious Chapter 2.
Insidious Chapter 2 is just a little predicable; weird voices on the baby monitor, a strange ghostly woman in the house and a piano that plays itself - we really have seen all of these done before.
And because it is all just a little cliché Wan isn't able to great the tension, and the fear that he did so effectively first time around.
However, there are some great performances in this film as Patrick Wilson delivers a totally creepy turn.
It soon becomes clear that Josh is not quite himself, and he turns on his family in a sinister and violent manner - which does lead to quite an exciting climax.
I also enjoyed Rose Byrne's performance as she is a woman who is bring driven to the brink of her sanity. However, protecting her children from harm is the only thing that is keeping her from breaking.
Like most horror movies, there are some creepy and jumpy moments, but Wan and co are not able to sustain this throughout the whole film; and that is a major shame.
This is by no means the worst horror movie that I have seen this year, but it is a tad disappointing after the success of Insidious and The Conjuring; it seems we have come to expect excellence from Wan every time he makes a horror movie.
Insidious 2 is a movie that will hold your attention and make you jump a little along the way, but it is not a film that will have you trying to hide behind your seat.
Insidious Chapter 2 is out now.
Tagged in James Wan