Movie Review: Insidious Chapter 2

Director James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring) is back to work thoroughly creeping out audiences everywhere once again in Insidious: Chapter 2, the follow up to his low-budget Insidious (2011). The original film was made for $1.5 million and made $100 million, making it one of the most profitable films of that year. You would probably assume that due to the overwhelming success of the first film, the second would have had a larger budget to work with. That does not seem to be the case, as Insidious: Chapter 2 seems to possess all of the low budget qualities that enamored audiences with the original. Although there are no exact figures on the sequel’s budget, producer Jason Blum is quoted in saying that it was somewhere around the ballpark of $2 million, and that the low budget horror film style is what they are going for all along. Although Insidious: Chapter 2 has a similar style and formula to the original, it definitely has some rather large big-profit-on-a-small-budget shoes to fill.

Once again, there is something sinister plaguing the family of Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne). Something has come from beyond, as in the evil “other side” where presumably the dead who were hideous in their real lives reside and if given the opportunity try to come back to this world through a mortal vessel. In the first movie, the dead try to come back through the Lambert’s son Dalton, who was inexplicably found in a coma one day, from which his dad must save him by going to that dark world and bringing his son’s soul back. A power that Josh had as a child, which the memory of was erased at the request of Josh’s mother (Barbara Hershey). Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up right where the first one ends, adding several more layers to the story and, at each turn, the Lamberts find out one disturbing thing after another about their connection to the spirit world.

Nobody envies this family as they cannot shake the grip that the evil spirits have on all of them. Naturally, it starts to drive them a little bit nuts in the same vein as the classic horror movie, The Shining. Without giving too much of the story away, I can say that there is less focus on the Lambert’s children in this film, which is a relief to the parents in the audience. On the other hand, there is less breathing room and virtually no opportunity to sit back in your seat. This movie begins creeping you out from its first fade in and doesn’t stop till the bitter end, which indicates that despite James Wan being quoted as saying he is done with this horror series, it sure looks as though we can be expecting a third chapter.

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Overall, Insidious: Chapter 2 is definitely a respectable sequel and in some ways is actually better than the original. The story is more complex, which is confusing for a while until the film’s big reveal. Also, returning actors WIlson, Byrne, and Hershey were able to further hone the characters that they originated in the first movie. Because of them, we know the Lambert family, we like them, and we continue to root for them through all of their horrific trials and tribulations. Insidious: Chapter 2 is definitely creepier than the original with the effects of which last long after leaving the theatre. That’s right; I’m vulnerable enough to admit that I had to turn on every light in my house to make sure that there was nothing sinister lurking in the shadows. Although my rational brain knows this is irrational behavior, I somehow can’t help doing it. This has to be the ultimate goal of horror filmmakers. So thank you James Wan for getting in my head and staying there for longer than I’d like.