Double Feature: Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) & Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)

Years after watching the first movie of the Insidious franchise HERE, this year’s Halloween marathon is going to wrap up the rest of the movies. For starters, lets move on to the Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.

Let’s check it out!

Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Director (and co-writer): James Wan

Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Barbara Hershey, Steve Coulter, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson

The Lamberts believe that they have defeated the spirits that have haunted their family, but they soon discover that evil is not beaten so easily. – IMDB

Continuing on from the first movie, the Lamberts are dealing with the aftermath from the first movie and realizing that things are quite over as the danger still looms in the distance. While Insidious was something of an atmospheric sort of movie with a little more tension build up and having some decent jump scare moments, it all fitted together really well to give some lasting fear. Insidious: Chapter 2 is more of a familiar horror story. It plays its a cards a little too early and a little too obvious. Sure, it still has some decent jump scare moments but none of it is very lasting in the horror department as its more of an anticipated move and an unexpected time being done. The tension build-up definitely doesn’t play as well.

The same cast of its first film and the characters are still here. To be fair, they all come back into their roles in a good way. The story gives it more backstory as well as drawing more details into The Further’s lore and how it all works (in a non-chronological way). The backstory focuses on the past of the father character Josh when he was a boy and had his encounter at one point which is where the movie’s story pivots most of the time and the key of how he gets caught up in The Further.

In reality, Insidious: Chapter 2 isn’t exactly a horrible movie just it falls frequently in the predictable bit. I’m just not sure whether its because its first film pulled out a lot of the scary tricks that it set up the world in such a complete way that its sequel just couldn’t match up. For myself, it was more of a disappointment than it was a bad movie overall.

Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)

Director (and writer): Leigh Whannell

Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Lin Shaye, Tate Berney, Steve Coulter, Hayley Kiyoko, Corbett Tuck

A prequel set before the haunting of the Lambert family that reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity. – IMDB

It feels like most franchises need to head backwards in time to give itself into a deeper sense of the lore that before those previous movies, this The Further business still exist. Usually, I’m not totally behind it as most of the time, its just an excuse for studios to bank on good movie ideas to drag it out. I can’t say that Insidious: Chapter 3 wasn’t doing that but I happen to also love Lin Shaye’s character of Elise and its a backstory of how she starts working with Specs and Tucker. Elise, Specs and Tucker really are a huge highlight of Insidious who brings a little of comedy to the whole thing plus the three characters seem to build up the best. It could be that Leigh Whannell does act in the role of Specs while this time around being both the director and the writer so really bringing to life something that he envisioned.

With that said, Insidious: Chapter 3 does have a lot of the same issues as the second one. Its essentially a collection of predictable jump scares. There are some eerie moments and figures/shadows in the background. Its just the story of teenagers wanting to bring dead parents back to life isn’t exactly an original concept and of course, summoning something worse. On the upside, the way the film is structured does work to build a little more tension than Chapter 2. It has to do with the story focusing around a teenage girl who ends up bedridden and unable to walk, making her incredibly vulnerable. Nothing like vulnerability to make things more intense, right?

Between Chapter 2 and 3, I fluctuate a lot about which one I think is better even if they both are far from being as memorable as the first one (even if you break down Insidious, it might not hold up as well as the first viewing, which is why I’ve never gone back for a second viewing). After this double feature, I definitely feel like Chapter 3 pulls ahead a little.

That’s it for this double feature!
What’s your thoughts on the Insidious franchise?

Insidious (2010)

I am crazy! I admit it…I don’t know why I do this to myself.  I’m mega chickenshit and somehow I felt like Tuesday night was a great idea to put on Insidious.  Just to check our James Wan‘s skills.  The movie started and the DVD menu went on, eerie music going on, opening credits start…and I start regretting already.

Director: James Wan

Cast: Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey

*IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THIS MOVIE, YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THE SYNOPSIS, as much as I tried to keep it spoiler free, it might still ruin the full experience*

Renai (Rose Byrne) and Josh(Patrick Wilson) Lambert are settling into their new house with their 3 children.  When their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) falls into a coma, they search to figure out what is causing it.  As this starts to strain Renai and Josh’s marriage, Josh starts dreaming up weird images.  At the same time, Renai starts experiencing eerie unexplicable events at home which leads her to believe that her house is haunted.  It is then she urges Josh to move out of their home in hopes that escape this.  However, at the new home, these events still occur and its then Josh’s mother  Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) advise them to seek the help of Elise (Lin Shaye) and her team Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson). It is here they learn about The Further.

I almost didn’t want to write a synopsis for this one because there is no way that you can talk about this and not feel like I ruined something.

This leads to me saying that this is a super awesome horror.  It scared the $&!% out of me but I am not alone.  This makes me feel good to say because basing this on my scare level is inaccurate, seeing as I’m scared of most horror movies.  On this note, you really want to check out The Horror Online and their awesome post on the “How Scary Is It?” Scale.  Just click on it and you’ll get to that post! This one (and The Horror Online agrees) is definitely a Stage 5.  I did not cry…I screamed at the top of my lungs.  Decibel levels flew off the charts! I’m still sleeping with my lights close and watching comedies.  Oh, and I don’t walk around my house with the lights off…and the boyfriend has after dark water duty for moi, because I refuse to go down into the dark…I’m sure you get the idea…

 

 

This horror flick is hardcore.  This would’ve been good for the theatres though. The copy I got made me have to watch subtitles because I did not hear those effects that makes it a bit eerie until last minute.  Although eventually I learned that I had to turn it off because every time something happens, we get an alert with an “eerie sounscape” in the background.  Even though it was hinted eventually, it always provided some form of surprise.  Freaked me out every single time.  As much as my boyfriend laughed at it, by the end of the movie, those discordant violin sounds were MEGA CREEPY! Background music or lack of at times was really effective to make this horror factor increase! It made for a good compliments to some pretty crazy awesome jump scares, along with some built up moments!

On top of that, everyone in this flick was convincing.  Maybe it had to do with the incredibly awesome storyline.  Patrick Wilson was fantastic and Rose Byrne was definitely no Helen (from Bridesmaids).  She went all out to prove to us that she can do horror genre equally well.  She lead a good part of the movie and was the focus for a lot of solo scenes.  She convinced me that there was evil at every corner of that house.  Plus, as little as screen time as the kids had, the little boys were both very convincing!  Elise and her team was pretty interesting.  They had an amazing vibe on screen to amplify the scare factor. Loved the character of Elise! She had to be all over the place with her reactions.  The same applies for her assistants! The cast was just outstanding!

 

James Wan is awesome in these spirits and evil horror genre.  I have seen nothing else from this guy.  However, I do have a little issue with his camera work.  However, if he does apply that to Fast 7, I think it might be alright ;).  I just can’t see this guy jumping into the action flick area though.  On another note, I’m excited to see Insidious Chapter 2 because it is what I need to wrap up this scary piece of entertainment.  At least I hope it will…its just how I am with horror flicks.

This is a definite YES! Horror fans should see this! Its awesomely scary with a mix of jump scares, eerie music and lots of creepy scenes! The music compliments it and the acting is pretty decent.  There was a lot hidden in the scenes if you look hard enough which makes it very intelligent.  I may be cursing myself and saying that I won’t see another horror for a while.  Whats sleep, right? Especially if its lost over a great movie 😉 This is most positively one of the scariest movie I have seen!

I’m usually the slow pokes at horror movies, so tell me, have you seen this?  Did you like it? Was there something you didn’t like it? Is it something you want to see? Anxious to see the sequel (which I think is coming out later this year)?