Insidious 2: Insidiouser opens with a flashback to the days of yore – 1986 to be specific – before bringing us back to the present day.
Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renee (Rose Byrne) have moved on from the events of the original film, leaving their former haunted digs and temporarily bunking in with Josh’s mum in his childhood home. Josh has moved on so far that he refuses to acknowledge that the histrionics and insanity even took place at all.
In fact the first half hour of Insilliness 2 is essentially the cast wandering room to room and either being nervous about – or ignoring – obvious signs of ghostiness.
All while we wonder why the decor hasn’t changed in a quarter century and just who is responsible for the red lighting tones that feature in every room.
“I saw something!” sez Rose. “Nahhhh you didn’t. Relaxxxx.” replies Josh. Strong relationships are built on honesty and trust. (OJ’s lawyer would be proud.)
And so on. Glimpse. Light. Mirror. Murmer. “Who’s there?” Walkie talkie. Piano. LOUD NOISE! Repeat.
Elsewhere the same bumbling duo of incompetent ghostbusters return to do some more background checks and snooping of their own, ultimately uncovering what I thought was made obvious in the first 90 seconds of the film.
All comes together in the concluding stages, where any semblance of subtlety is ordered to take the day off. The last few years have gifted us Sinister, The Conjuring, The Pact and of course the multiple Paranormals, all reasonable to very good examples of proficient commercial horror (well The Pact should have been more commercial). I felt the original Insidious was all too silly for its own good, and while the sequel has a couple decent moments it is too reliant on loud noises and scares lifted from better films to have an impact.
More of the same really.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. Insilliness 2: Subtlety takes a Holiday.
