Insidious

Modern films like, actually love, to advertise as “from the Director of X” and the “Producers of Y”, so for the new fright fest that is Insidious we have the poster informing us that said film is “From the director of Saw” and the “writer / director of Paranormal Activity”, this being James Wann and Orin Peli respectively. This probably isn’t a good thing for a number of people. In addition, it’s also a bit mis-leading as Peli is only one of a number of producers of the film, whereas Wann is the director with his old sparring partner Leigh Whannel on writing duties. So, what delights have they come up with for us? Parents Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne move into a new house and shortly one of their kids falls into a coma-type of unconsciousness that the doctors can’t explain. Then things really start to get weird. Despite their involvement with the increasingly bloody (and bloody rubbish) Saw franchise, Wan and Whannel have been smart enough to realise it is the threat, rather than the showing, that makes these films and they utilise all the tricks in the haunted house text book. Having said that we know it’s not the house that is haunted. That’s not a spoiler as the advertising has used the twist as its main selling point. However, what is quite a coup is that despite one of the main twists in the film being all over the trailers and posters it’s still a great watch. Whannel’s screenplay is mostly lean and concise and Wan’s direction, helped by some great lighting and cinematography, is assured creating a spine tingling atmosphere of impending dread. Some of the jumps are telegraphed and most are aided by the obligatory loud music, but there are some real crackers here, helped by some great mis-direction and one scare in particular involving a shadowy figure pacing outside a bedroom window was one of the most ingenious moments I’d seen in a film for quite some time. The film does falter slightly when the reveal occurs (which some may find too Mumbo Jumbo), but this is usual for most films of this type (Peli’s PA suffered badly from this) and though the final third can’t match up to the thrilling opening two acts, what it is is pretty bonkers as the film resembles a non stop Ghost Ride at a fun fair as ghouls and jumps come thick and fast without much let up. Yep, its pure hokum, but even that can’t spoil a final twist that will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. There are a few minor points where some attempts at comedy don’t really work and one of the nasties bearing a bizarre reference to Darth Maul, but this is an good old fashioned frightener and vastly superior to the recent bluntness of Scream 4.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

You may feel this is too high a rating, but a chilling first half and an enjoyable, if silly, second half make for one of the best horror films for quite a while. Rating: 8/10.