In this line of work, things tend to happen when it gets dark.
“Insidious: Chapter Two” is a continuation of “Insidious,” released in 2010, which focuses on the innocent Lambert family. In the beginning of the movie, young Josh Lambert admits to going to another dimension where he communicates with the deceased, which worries his mother. In order to protect her son, Lorraine Lambert calls in Elise Rainier, a well-known medium. She immediately feels a presence in the home.
Elise does not hesitate asking young Josh questions about the spirit. He declares the spirit is a woman, and seems to know much about her, but he is holding back. Elise starts a game of hot and cold. Elise was led to Josh’s room, specifically, the closet. This was a little predictable, but what’s a good horror movie without something hiding in the closet?
This is where the action begins. Elise makes the unwise move of putting her arm in the closet. There is a growl, then when we see her arm again, it has a deep scratch and is very bloody. Without giving a spoiler, let’s just say this was the least of her injuries.
There is actually not much blood or violence in “Insidious: Chapter Two.” Most of the scares come from the quick scenes where the ghosts appear without any warning. The movie does tease you, and plays scary music when nothing even happens. But, all of the sudden in the middle of the day, there may be a ghost just sitting in the living room. When seeing it the first time, people have been frightened. There have even been complaints of people not being able to sleep after viewing it for the first time. After seeing it for a second time, it is far less creepy. The “scares” are predictable and it is an opportunity to focus more on the actual storyline, rather than the scary scenes.
The acting in this horror is not fabulous, but it is not horrible. The Lambert family actors are good in certain scenes. The actors who portray the ghosts are very skilled and depicted emotion well. Considering the childhood Parker Crane had, the actor was very emotional. The mother of Mr. Crane was shown to be a harsh, unforgiving mother who had mental problems. This actress excelled in her part.
“Insidious: Chapter Two” was a good movie. The storyline can get confusing to follow towards the end because it almost felt rushed. The good thing about the movie is there is not a long build up – it goes right into the action. It is a short movie, being only one hour and 45 minutes, but it is paced fairly well. The preview says, “Don’t go alone.” This is true if someone is frightened very easily. If a movie-goer can take a good scare once in a while, this movie will be very enjoyable. If a horror fanatic saw the first movie, it would definitely help explain the background. However, I did not see the first movie but still followed the story very easily. If you enjoy “Insidious: Chapter 2,” invest in seeing “The Conjuring.” It is by the same director, so you will probably be fond of that one as well.
