Review of Sinister 2 (2015) by Horrorqueen S — 25 Jan 2018

A disappointing sequel, Sinister 2 lacks the intensity and suspense that made the original so compelling. After the death of the Oswalt family a former deputy turned private investigator attempts to break Bughuul's cycle by burning down the houses of its victims to prevent him from cultivating new ones, but when he discovers a mother (played by Shannyn Sossamon) and her two sons living at a farmhouse that was one of the crime scenes he tries to find a way to save them before Bughuul can get to them.

The film makes the classic mistake of over-explaining by showing how children are corrupted and turned by Bughuul (which is better left ambiguous). Also, the child actors aren't that good, and the casting of twins (who are similar looking) as the two brothers makes things especially confusing and hard to follow.

Additionally, the retconning of Bughuul to having multiple killing cycles somehow takes away his mystic and diminishes the stakes of the battle for this one family. Sinister 2 makes all the wrong moves and becomes just another cheesy horror sequel doing the same old thing.