Studio: Focus (97 min.)Plot: A prequel set before the haunting of the Lambert family
Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell
Rating: PG-13
Bottom Line: ***
By Samantha Ofole-Prince
The best horror movies have you jumping at the slightest sounds and this third installment of the Insidious franchise is exactly that kind of film.
Set years before the haunting of the Lambert family and Elise’s battles with spirits in “Insidious” and “Insidious: Chapter 2,” the film injects a great deal of additional humor into the proceedings along with some very scary moments.
At the film’s start, we meet 17-year-old aspiring actress Quinn (played by Stefanie Scott) who has sought out psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) in hopes of communicating with her dead mother. Elise, citing retirement, sends her packing but it’s not long before Quinn’s father (Dermot Mulroney) returns to plead for Elise’s assistance after Quinn is attacked in her bedroom by a malevolent supernatural entity. To protect Quinn, Elise is forced to venture into a dark world she calls ‘The Further,’ and summons her powers to contact the dead. She’s supported by two new acquaintances, unlicensed parapsychologists Tucker (Angus Sampson) and Specs (Leigh Whannell) who supply enough laughs as possible as a pair of ghost hunters.
“Elise had been killed off as part of the struggle to save the Lamberts in the last movie, but I loved the character and I wondered how I could bring her back,” shares writer, director and franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell who also stars in the film. “Dealing with ‘ghost Elise’ wasn’t the idea; I wanted her alive. People enjoyed the time-spanning storytelling that we advanced in the second movie, and I felt that would help me find a story that gives deeper meaning to her journey.”
An effective scary cinematic experience complete with creaky doors, hollow walls and lots of suspenseful sequences, this installment takes on the classic ghost story with jump-scare amusement that shocks.
“Everyone has fears, no matter their culture or country. At its core, every ghost story is about death and loss. That is why they are relatable. ‘Insidious: Chapter 3’ is no exception; people can see this movie having seen neither of the previous chapters and they will understand what the characters here go through,” continues Whannell. “My approach on this film was to take it back to the realistic horror tone of the first movie, where you’re with a family who don’t know what’s happening to them and can’t imagine what’s to come.”
If you’re seeking a bump-in-the-night funhouse ride, “Insidious: Chapter 3” absolutely delivers.
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This was printed in the July 12, 2015 – July 25, 2015 edition
