By Taylor Nigrelli
Sports Editor
Contemporary horror movies tend to be predictable and formulaic. They take a family, place them in a new setting, introduce a spirit or non-human entity as an antagonist, use the youngest and creepiest kid as a conduit and then some mild terror ensues.
“Insidious: Chapter 2” doesn’t necessarily stray from this formula. In fact, it follows it almost identically. Yet, it features enough eye-popping, jaw-dropping and downright disturbing moments to separate itself from most horror movies.
It was insane and difficult to follow, but above all else, fun.
The movie depicts the ongoing saga of the Lambert family from the first installment (2010). It begins with a childhood scene from the father of the family, Josh (Patrick Wilson). Although the movie almost immediately returns to present day, this first scene turns out to be one of the most important. It also serves to remind the audience of both Josh and his son Dalton’s (Ty Simpkins) strange affliction that allows them to walk with the dead while unconscious.
This confusing condition allows both characters to venture into another plane of existence. The universe is a quasi-purgatory with unclear rules and features. Some formerly-living beings seem to make their homes there, but there doesn’t seem to be much of a rhyme or reason as to whom. A few nefarious creatures reside there, and a screaming, naked old man makes an appearance. Additionally, the benevolent clairvoyant Elise, who was murdered in the first movie, lingers there and so do other main characters that die throughout the film. Or don’t die. Or kind of die. It’s not all that clear.
The film also features a non-living creature possessing a living main character because it’s a horror movie made in the 21st century, and apparently, that’s a requirement.
The aforementioned father carries his possession over from the original story. In a refreshing turn from most other contemporary horror films, this possession wasn’t obvious to the other characters. After a long and confusing investigation, it is revealed that the possessor is a deceased former murderer/cross-dresser/abused child.
This discovery simultaneously disturbs the audience and introduces us to the film’s real villain (I won’t spoil that here). It also leads to the film’s most shocking scene, which features an early-20th-century mother beating her young son for resisting her attempts to make him into a girl.
“Insidious” is riddled with shock-value scenes like this, occasionally without reason. Some exist to shock the audience, some to blatantly establish plot points. These scenes, like much of the movie, don’t make much sense.
The cast doesn’t have much in the way of name recognition. That’s aside from Patrick Wilson – who, after “The Conjuring,” is really establishing himself as the Tom Hanks of creepy possession movies. What the cast lacks in notoriety, it does not make up for in talent. The performances range from mediocre to downright painful to watch.
But while “Insidious: Chapter 2” doesn’t feature very good acting and leaves more than one unanswered question, it was an entertaining watch.
Let’s be clear: no one’s going to confuse this movie with “The Shawshank Redemption” or even the original “Halloween.” But if you’re looking for an early-fall horror flick that’ll make you squirm, “Insidious” is the way to go.
Call some friends, grab a pumpkin spice-flavored drink, turn your brain off for a couple hours and enjoy fall’s most ridiculous movie.
