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Fading in immediately where the first Insidious left off, Insidious: Chapter 2 takes the audience, along with the Lambert family, deeper into “the further”. Director James Wan, who also released films such as Saw, Dead Silence, and The Conjuring, is becoming the modern day master of horror. In Insidious: Chapter 2, Wan uses techniques similar to those used in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. With its slow, creeping shots and eerie red and black color palette, it creates a gut-wrenchingly horrifying atmosphere. Although there were times where it was so terrifying one could hardly stay in the theatre (one girl actually did leave in the middle of the showing), there were brief moments of hope and happiness for the Lamberts.
If you were a fan of the first Insidious’ spastic, screeching violin sounds, you won’t be disappointed in the Insidious: Chapter 2 soundtrack. The music used in the sequel is very similar to the first film, utilizing the same droning, atmospheric soundscapes. The film jumps back and forth between Josh Lambert’s childhood and the present day. However, these are not the only places in time the audience will visit. Throughout the film, we delve deeper into the mystery behind the old woman who befriended and terrorized young Josh. The audience learns that the entity was driven by a psychotic feminist force, striking a catastrophic array of events, and triggering yet another journey into “the further”.
Along with the cast from the first movie, many new characters linked to the Lamberts’ past are also introduced. Patrick Wilson (as Josh Lambert) who throughout the film slowly spirals downward into madness, recreates similar characteristics of Jack Nicholson’s depiction of Jack Torrance in The Shining. Along with Wilson, the rest of the cast gives a five star performance, by tethering themselves to the audience’s heartstrings. If you are interested in a top of the line horror movie that also demonstrates outstanding filmmaking, then Insidious: Chapter 2 is an absolute must-see.
