Insidious - A Movie Review

It’s not your house that’s haunted - it’s your son.

Haunting its way into theaters in 2010, Insidious is about a supernatural being that overtakes a young boy. Hiring a supernatural investigator, strange events happen inside the house. It’s a difficult method, but they need to rid their son of this spirit.

I’m not sure how I’ve missed out on Insidious. I had a spectacular time watching it. Based on the story, genuine scary atmosphere, and wonderful direction, Insidious marks the definition of horror.

The cast of Insidious did an amazing job studying their characters, relationships, and the tone of the film. Playing as a genuine family, Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson were outstanding. Wilson especially gave an outstanding performance. He is capable of playing any range. Both parents' love for their children was a heartwarming signature moment of the film.

Do you remember Lin Shaye who played the teacher in A Nightmare on Elm Street? Shaye delivers a terrific performance as Elisa Rainer. The way her eyes studied invisible entities was astounding to watch.

Included in the cast of Insidious are Ty Simpkins, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Andrew Astor, and an ensemble who had a good time filming as sinister figures. Special mention goes to Whannel and Sampson for being the ultimate comedic team that this film needed.

James Wan made this film as genuine as he could. It’s a different take on the average haunted house film. Right from the start, Insidious has a bleak ambiance. The eerie music followed by slow camera movements focused on the tone of the frightful film.

Wan knows how to do jump scares. Even though I knew about one famous jump scare, it still made me gasp. It’s all about timing. The camera does a good job following the characters, acting like something else is watching you.

The cinematography was at its best. That is Wan’s signature part in his direction. You have to keep your eyes locked to the screen to survey every moment. It is a tame horror film with no blood and guts. That’s my type of horror film honestly.

Aside from the suspenseful tone, Wan also did a good job dictating moments of comedy and realistic interactions among the family. First, the film briefly diffuses a day in the life of what this family’s routine is, until divulging into the horror. He based the horror on realism. Nobody ever knows what is going to happen tomorrow - it’s both exciting and scary at the same time.

The climax is gripping. Everything from the spine-tingling violin theme, scary monster designs, and intense otherworldly atmosphere, Insidious keep you on the edge of your seat. Now I wonder what seeing this in a movie theater would have been like.

My one complaint is that it related a little too much to The Conjuring, another horror film directed by James Wan. And where did the other children in the family go? I know they were the youngest in the household but they could have had more of a purpose instead of being sent to someone else’s care too soon into the story.

No doubt, Insidious is a scary film. Beware of going into this film because there are several unexpected jump scares. It is entertaining. The film manages to sell a story over getting too carried away with pure terror. I like when horror movies do that.

Insidious leaves a lasting impression and now I have to check out the sequels. If you have not seen Insidious, you need to watch it this Halloween season. Use caution because the film is scary.