So, as most Comedy Film Nerds fans know…I LOVE horror movies! I try to see almost every one that comes out (unless they have truly horrible word of mouth) and as we get closer to October, that need for cinematic scares grows even more urgent. So why have I been avoiding seeing the new James Wan frightfest Insidious: Chapter 2?
So, as most Comedy Film Nerds fans know…I LOVE horror movies! I try to see almost every one that comes out (unless they have truly horrible word of mouth) and as we get closer to October, that need for cinematic scares grows even more urgent. So why have I been avoiding seeing the new James Wan frightfest Insidious: Chapter 2?
I enjoyed the first Insidious, I enjoyed Wan’s The Conjuring (despite its attempt to also serve as a propaganda film for paranormal investigators Ed & Loraine Warren), and this was another film from the team that brought us the mostly enjoyable Paranormal Activity films. I just had a bad feeling about Insidious: Chapter 2 that was…well… insidious. And it’s not that I’m one of those snobby reviewers who are prejudiced against sequels. Not all of them are pale imitations of the original. How about Aliens? Or Dawn of the Dead? Or the groundbreaking Jason X? Jason Vorhees in the future!? In space!? Jealous you didn’t think of it, Peter Travers? Fortunately, my horror procrastination was finally broken by orders given to me by Chris Mancini and I finally headed out to the Arclight. The following is based on a true story. Specifically, it’s true that I saw this movie.
Insidious: Chapter 2 actually does pick up where the last film left off. After escaping the horrors of “The Further” (a supernatural realm of dead souls, made up of smoke, poorly lit rooms, and garish colored doors…not to be confused with The Cheesecake Factory), the Lambert family soon learns their nightmare has not yet ended. Some ghostly entities have followed their son back from “The Further” into the world of the living and once again, and they’re not exactly pleasant. From this point, the movie takes us through a series of retreaded scares, clunky horror themes, and stupid dialogue. Without giving away too many spoilers, there are a few interesting concepts floating around this film, for example linking a haunting with time travel, but, what ends up happening is that the minute something draws you in, along comes something else that pulls you right out again. I call this “the reverse Corleone.”
That being said, this is supposed to be a horror film. So let’s talk about the scares. This film is another entry in the horror genre I have coined “startle porn.” There are no genuine scares to be had from the plot, atmosphere, or direction. Just a series of loud blasts of noise at unexpected moments (I’d especially cover your ears during the title sequence). The same effect could be achieved by someone sitting behind you and randomly banging cymbals together. It’s not that subtle of a gimmick but it would definitely keep you on your toes. It would also have helped me stay awake during The Lone Ranger. But I live to digress.
The original Insidious worked because it was able to blend various conventions of the horror genre with an almost 1980’s style of tongue and cheekiness and create a light hearted funhouse of scares. It also had a great villain in the demon man, who comes off like Freddy Krueger if he was going to Mardi Gras. Insidious 2, however, presents us with the ghost of a controlling mother (played by Danielle Bisutti, doing an impression of someone doing an impression of Joan Crawford) and the ghost of her transvestite, serial killing son. If I wanted to see that kind of thing, I’d watch American Horror Story.
The cast does a fairly good job, with Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne back as Josh and Renai Lambert.The only major turds in the acting pool are Leigh Whannell as Specs (because he wears glasses, get it!) and Angus Sampson as Tucker (doing a shitty, unfunny impression of Brian Posehn). Their questionable comedic antics bordered on tolerable in the last film but in this latest entry, it’s like they’re actually doing routines. And Abbott and Costello they are not. Leigh Whannel is also the screenwriter of this film and maybe the double duty of “acting” explains some of the problems with this mess.
Insidious: Chapter 2 also seems to be a bit of a kleptomaniac. It can’t help stealing from A Nightmare On Elm Street, The Sixth Sense, Session 9, the last Insidious movie, every found footage film ever made, and even The Shining. Normally I don’t mind a bit of homage in a film but when it’s almost an entire act?! Spoiler Alert: Dad gets possessed and guess what he tries to do to his family? “Here’s plagiarism!”
Let’s cut to the chase. The real problem with Insidious: Chapter 2 is the chapter 2 part. The first Insidious works despite and because of some of its ridiculous elements. That’s a hard thing to pull off twice. Now I hear they’re making a Chapter 3. Luckily, it’s not that hard of a thing to make a bad movie twice.
Matt Weinhold