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| Patrick Wilson as Josh |
Tame "Insidious Chapter 2" provides more cheesy PG-13 scares
Who is that woman standing behind you? What's behind that red door? The cheesy fun "Insidious Chapter 2," the unnecessary sequel to the 2011 hit horror film "Insidious" is back to answer those questions and more, while providing some bloodless PG-13 thrills that will please and appeal to a wider audience. Picking up right where the first film ends, the Lambert family (Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne) are happily reunited after Josh went into the Further to get his son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) back, though it left their good friend Elise (Lin Shaye) dead. However, the paranormal events don't stop and become more and more terrifying. When the family begins to notice strange behavior from Josh, they start to wonder; is it really Josh that came back from the Further? Directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell (who has a small part here providing comic relief), makers of the "Saw" franchise and the recent horror hit, "The Conjuring," which also starred Wilson. The first film was a big hit because it was original, tense and less dependent on gore; this film is less original but still provides some cheap thrills, aided by the creepy strings-heavy score by Joseph Bisara, who memorably scored the first film along with "The Conjuring" and an always funny, endearing character actress in Shaye as dearly departed Elise, who added some pep to the first film. Shaye has much less screen time here and the film suffers without her, particularly in a murky, plodding middle act that drifts way too much. But Wan, Whannell and company keep the thrills coming, even when it doesn't make much sense as well as difficulty in buying the bland Wilson as the villain. It all works out in the end, or does it really...leaving the bright red door open for more scary thrills. In spite of being such a big hit two years ago, I still gave the tame "Insidious" a C+ and I give the same to an equally tame "Insidious Chapter 2." Not because it isn't cheesy fun, but because in the end, it just wasn't scary enough. Go if you must but for better director and star it's still not too late to see "The Conjuring."
Wes's Grade: C
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