Review of Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) by Tracy S — 06 Jun 2015

The most surprising horror franchise in recent memory is back with Insidious Chapter 3: a prequel to the first two films that delivers the thrills and chills and stands out as one of the few horror sequels to get it right.

I have to admit, I was very cautious going into this film simply because the director of the first two films, James Wan, wasn't back directing this film and I didn't think that the writer of the franchise Leigh Whannell had what it took to take over this franchise.

I am happy to say how wrong I was to question his abilities. Insidious Chapter 3 is dark, enticing, tells a great story, and best of all this movie is actually terrifying. This is a spoiler free review and intentionally vague because the best part about this movie is not knowing anything about it.

The story this time takes place before the Lambert haunting in the first two films and revolves around a girl who tries to reach out to her mother who passed away, however it wasn't her mother that answered.

Leigh Whannell truly delivers a great story here that rises above simple horror movie fodder. There are some real heartfelt moments that keeps you caring about this family and when all these terrible things happen you want to see them come out on top and defeat whatever has latched itself onto this young girl.

On top of that Whannell takes this opportunity to dive deeper into this mythos he and James Wan had created and we get to understand more about the "Further" and even how some characters came to meet and even more about them.

The acting in this film is also superb with Lin Shaye, returning as the psychic Elise, giving a truly fantastic performance. Shaye hones in on why we like her character so much and gives us more to understand and grow with.

We also see great performances from Dermot Mulroney and Stefanie Scott as the family being haunted. They have real chemistry here and you easily believe they are a family which is something you don't really see often in horror movies.

Adding to the film is Whannell's eye for horror. There are a few jump scares here and there but majority of the real scares in this film are absolutely terrifying. Majority of the imagery sticks with you and the main demon in the film is one of the best in the franchise.

My only complaint here is that the film takes some time to build up. The first fraction of the film really drags and some of the jump scares get a bit repetitive, however when the film gets going it fires on all cylinders and never lets up until the credits roll.

Overall Insidious Chapter 3 is a solid horror film that gets just about everything right. Sure, there are some issues in the beginning that hold up progress but this movie is full of terrific imagery, acting, and actually invests in it's characters and adds depth to this franchise.

Definitely see this movie in theaters and be prepared for a good time you wont soon forget.