Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
Insidious: The Last Key is the fourth instalment of the franchise, but it’s actually the sequel to a prequel. If you wish to watch these movies in chronological order order then 3, 4, 1, 2 is the correct sequence. However, it is not essential to be au fait with the lore of the series to follow the plot of Insidious: The Last Key, although there are a few in-jokes for fans. The film begins with a prologue that gives us the backstory of Elise (Lin Shaye), our psychic who protagonist. Her childhood is far from happy as she lives next to the state prison where her abusive father is the executioner on death row. Young Elise and her brother encounter several paranormal incidents, the last leaving Elise possessed. Her mother Audrey rescues her but dies in the process. The film then moves on to 2010, where Elise gets a call from a scared man currently living in her old house. Despite reservations, she agrees to meet him and confront the supernatural forces behind the haunting. Her two assistants, Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (Leigh Whannell), accompany her and encounter a growing series of well executed but somewhat formulaic set-pieces.
Insidious: The Last Key is the fourth instalment of the franchise, but it’s actually the sequel to a prequel. If you wish to watch these movies in chronological order order then 3, 4, 1, 2 is the correct sequence. However, it is not essential to be au fait with the lore of the series to follow the plot of Insidious: The Last Key, although there are a few in-jokes for fans. The film begins with a prologue that gives us the backstory of Elise (Lin Shaye), our psychic who protagonist. Her childhood is far from happy as she lives next to the state prison where her abusive father is the executioner on death row. Young Elise and her brother encounter several paranormal incidents, the last leaving Elise possessed. Her mother Audrey rescues her but dies in the process. The film then moves on to 2010, where Elise gets a call from a scared man currently living in her old house. Despite reservations, she agrees to meet him and confront the supernatural forces behind the haunting. Her two assistants, Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (Leigh Whannell), accompany her and encounter a growing series of well executed but somewhat formulaic set-pieces.
Insidious: The Last Key is similar to The Purge: Election Year, in so far as both are examples of a movies in a franchise that don’t move things forward but simply take a step sideways and offer more of the same. With Insidious: The Last Key, we are provided with another extended trip to “the Further” and another demonic being that strives to interfere with human affairs. As ever with this series of films, there has been a lot of thought and effort put into the design of the central demon and Key Face is certainly an innovative design. However, if this franchise has a weakness, it is the fact that the supernatural forces are always given the minimum of explanation. That’s not to say that screenwriter, Leigh Whannell, should spoon feed the audience but it would be interesting to learn a little more about the motivations of the demons and why the manifest the way they do.
There is no major graphic violence and once again, the emphasis is on tension and disquiet. There are the usual jump scares that still seem to be in vogue and the sound design is used to great effect. Where both Lin Shaye and Bruce Davidson (playing her adult, estranged brother Christian) have adequate dialogue and something specific to do with their characters, the rest of the cast are not so lucky. Elise conveniently has two young nieces who are mainly present for “women in peril” duty. Tucker and Specs are again mainly comic foils. However, despite being overall just an adequate entry in the series, Insidious: The Last Key still has Lin Shaye as its trump card. There are not many Hollywood franchises that have at their heart a 74-year-old lady and her character remains endearing and robust. The film also makes a stab at some emotional depth during its climax, when Elise confronts the spirits of her past and the script takes a somewhat compassionate turn.
Overall, I found Insidious: The Last Key to be acceptable and the end of the movie nicely dovetails into the set up for the first Insidious back in 2011. Because of the goodwill that the previous three films have generated, I consider this instalment to be an adequate ending to the series, but I really don’t think that there’s any mileage left for a fifth. I don’t see where else you can go with the character of Elise as her fate is already a known quantity. However, since when have narrative issues and a clearly concluded storyline ever stopped a studio from making more movies in a successful franchise? I have a sneaking suspicion that a Tucker and Specs spin-off is also a possibility, which is far too close to Scooby-Doo territory for my liking. However, irrespective of such speculation, Insidious: The Last Key provides formulaic shocks and a clear conclusion. It will probably play better at home, due to lower expecatations.
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
Although I enjoyed Insidious: Chapter 2 it was somewhat constrained by the events of the first movie. It did it best to creatively extricate itself from the corner its predecessor had painted itself in to, but it didn’t really leave much scope for a direct sequel. Hence the producers wisely elected to follow the movie up with a prequel that explored an earlier case that crossed the path of psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye). This change in direction proved surprisingly beneficial for the franchise providing an opportunity to meet new characters and a new antagonist. Despite being the third entry in the series, Insidious: Chapter 3 maintains the standard set by chapters one and two and proved to be a hit at the box office and with fans alike.
Although I enjoyed Insidious: Chapter 2 it was somewhat constrained by the events of the first movie. It did it best to creatively extricate itself from the corner its predecessor had painted itself in to, but it didn’t really leave much scope for a direct sequel. Hence the producers wisely elected to follow the movie up with a prequel that explored an earlier case that crossed the path of psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye). This change in direction proved surprisingly beneficial for the franchise providing an opportunity to meet new characters and a new antagonist. Despite being the third entry in the series, Insidious: Chapter 3 maintains the standard set by chapters one and two and proved to be a hit at the box office and with fans alike.
Several years before The Lambert Haunting, retired psychic Elise Rainier reluctantly helps teenager Quinn Brenner (Stefanie Scott) contact her dead mother, Lillith, who died the year before. However, she urges Quinn not to try and contact her mother again after sensing a malevolent force. Subsequently, Quinn starts seeing a mysterious figure who waves to her. After attending an audition for a school for performing arts, Quinn is distracted by the figure, leading to her being knock down by a car, leaving her bed ridden with two broken legs. Further supernatural events occur, and it soon become apparent that “the man who cannot breathe” has sinister intentions. Quinn’s brother suggests that perhaps the amateur internet demonologists Specs and Tucker (Leigh Whannell and Alex Sampson) can help, but the case proves to be beyond their experience. As matters get worse, it becomes clear that the only person who can help Quinn is Elise.
Insidious: Chapter 3 creates a sinister atmosphere within its urban setting. The apartment block in which the story is set is suitably gothic in its state of disrepair. The new supernatural antagonist is surprisingly creepy and there are several scenes in which “the man who cannot breathe” is effectively used. The oily black foot prints that appear are eerily disturbing. As with many modern horror films, the emphasis is on jumps and scares rather than violence and these are delivered efficiently. What elevates Insidious: Chapter 3 above the average are an eclectic mix of characters that are surprisingly likeable. Stefanie Scott’s Quinn Brenner is not your standard caricature of a teenage girl and is a positive protagonist. Again, Lin Shaye does most of the heavy lifting as Elise Rainier. She once again delivers a compassionate, yet vulnerable performance and she holds viewers attention when on screen. There are also some droll moments with Specs and Tucker.
The movies strengths lie in the first two acts, with the building suspense and the sinister encroachment of the supernatural into an everyday environment. The denouement, which once again takes place in “the Further”, although well executed is a little too familiar. However, Insidious: Chapter 3 is overall an entertaining instalment in the series and certainly fairs better than the Ouija franchise. It is satisfying to see a genre of film that is heavily marketed towards a teen audience, prove successful due to the presence of an older character. The film also ends with a codicil that references the impending events of the first two movies and this circular narrative does provides a good sense of continuity. Considering all the commercial pressures that exist with regard to the horror genre these days, I do like The Insidious franchise and the way it has managed to create a niche for itself.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
James Wan is a clever film maker who knows and fully understands the mechanics of his trade. Perhaps a little too well, because therein lies the problem with Insidious: Chapter 2. It is a succession of well-crafted set pieces that seamlessly follows on from the previous movie. Yet it is a little too enamoured with its own cleverness. I found myself frequently praising the director after a well-constructed shock, instead of revelling in the unease a horror movie is supposed to create. A great deal of scares and jumps are due to the clever sound design, superb editing and the creepy score by by Joseph Bishara, who previously collaborated with director James Wan on the first movie as well as The Conjuring. Fortunately, the film still provides viewers with a family that are likeable and an ensemble cast that help lift the story beyond its somewhat formulaic limitations. As I've mentioned before, Wan has an eye for depicting families.
James Wan is a clever film maker who knows and fully understands the mechanics of his trade. Perhaps a little too well, because therein lies the problem with Insidious: Chapter 2. It is a succession of well-crafted set pieces that seamlessly follows on from the previous movie. Yet it is a little too enamoured with its own cleverness. I found myself frequently praising the director after a well-constructed shock, instead of revelling in the unease a horror movie is supposed to create. A great deal of scares and jumps are due to the clever sound design, superb editing and the creepy score by by Joseph Bishara, who previously collaborated with director James Wan on the first movie as well as The Conjuring. Fortunately, the film still provides viewers with a family that are likeable and an ensemble cast that help lift the story beyond its somewhat formulaic limitations. As I've mentioned before, Wan has an eye for depicting families.
The original film’s twist ending suggested that the spirit which haunted Josh (Patrick Wilson) throughout out his life had finally possessed him. Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up the story immediately and the story has to deal with the narrative complexities that have been imposed upon it by the previous instalment. However, the movie expedites the plot quite well and we see via flashbacks how paranormal investigator Elise (Lin Shaye) first met Josh as a child and the subsequent investigation by the police regarding the exact circumstances of her death. The story then focuses on the Lambert family, who are now living with Grandma Lorraine’s (Barbara Hershey). It's not long before Josh's wife Renai (Rose Byrne) is seeing and hearing spirit manifestations, once again centred around their young son Dalton (Ty Simpkins).
As I mention earlier, there is a lot of well thought out and smart aspects to Insidious: Chapter 2. A key scene from the first movie is revisited and explored from a totally different perspective. It certainly adds to the sense of continuity between the two movies. There is also another foray into the "further" but this time with a subtle role reversal as it is Dalton this time, trying to rescue his Father. Despite the Scooby Doo like sub-plot as the family and paranormal investigators delve into the reasons behind the hauntings, there is still plenty of solid scares to be had. The protagonists are still well defined and the suburban setting adds to the unsettling atmosphere. Because the balance between scares and running time is equitable, most audiences may overlook the increasing silliness of the central story during the final act.
There is a tipping point in Insidious: Chapter 2, where the audience has a choice of whether to roll with the plot developments or not. It is to the credit of actor Patrick Wilson, that his performance does much to carry the movie forward after this point. Fans may also be disappointed to learn that the story this time round is more to do with the creepy old lady ghost, rather than the Darth Maul lookalike Demon. However, director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell (Saw, Dead Silence) still manage to craft a disturbing and unsettling experience, which eschews the obligatory clinical horror of recent years. These modern homages to the classic haunted house genres (think Legend of the Hell House and Poltergeist) are a laudable undertaking. For the more casual views Insidious: Chapter 2 will prove a scary experience. For the more jaded horror fan there is still a lot to enjoy in this well-crafted genre outing.
Insidious (2010)
Shortly after moving to a new house, parents Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renée Lambert (Rose Byrne) life is shattered when their eldest son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) slips into a coma. Doctors are unable to explain their son’s medical condition and the family subsequently assailed by a series of supernatural happenings. Eventually, Josh’s Mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) invites paranormal investigator, Elise Rainer (Lin Shaye) and her team, to help the family. Her investigations soon determine that Dalton has the gift astral projection and has become trapped in “the further” by a demonic force. Lorraine reveals that Josh had a similar when he was a young, that he has subsequently forgotten about because it endangered his life. Can he revive his gift, enter "the further" and rescue Dalton before he his lost forever?
Shortly after moving to a new house, parents Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renée Lambert (Rose Byrne) life is shattered when their eldest son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) slips into a coma. Doctors are unable to explain their son’s medical condition and the family subsequently assailed by a series of supernatural happenings. Eventually, Josh’s Mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) invites paranormal investigator, Elise Rainer (Lin Shaye) and her team, to help the family. Her investigations soon determine that Dalton has the gift astral projection and has become trapped in “the further” by a demonic force. Lorraine reveals that Josh had a similar when he was a young, that he has subsequently forgotten about because it endangered his life. Can he revive his gift, enter "the further" and rescue Dalton before he his lost forever?
Director James Wan seems to have an eye for interesting depictions of families or individuals under pressure. Both Saw and Death Sentence explored these themes, producing strong performances and genuine tension in each respective movie. With Insidious Wan once again returns to this subject, viewing it through the prism of a family being preyed upon by a malevolent supernatural force. The director demonstrates a good understanding of how to build atmosphere and tension, as well as coaxing strong performances from his cast. The script is tight and the characters are likeable, a trait so often absent from many current horror films. The shocks are well constructed and not over stated. It is not until the third act when the film adopts a more theatrical approach as the hero enters "the further", in a finale reminiscent of Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist.
Insidious provides very traditional genre material packaged in a way that makes it more accessible to a mainstream contemporary audience. If you have not watched a great deal of horror films and are not familiar with specific classic titles from the seventies and eighties, then Insidious will certainly prove entertaining and scary. Viewers with a wider exposure to the genre will have to be content themselves with a polished, modern take on numerous tried and tested themes. I did enjoy Insidious and certainly think it is superior to a lot of the recent competition. I simply did not find it to be the "frightfest" that so many others claimed upon its initial release. However, others may well think otherwise.