This film is probably the scariest film I have ever seen. It bring everything that a good horror film should bring to the table. Jump scares, disturbing imagery, haunting music, etc. The use of the recorded murders is especially terrifying. The story never has a dull moment and provides many good twists along the way. The lack of music during the filmed murders is especially chilling. Ethan Hawke stands out as the protagonist and plays the role very well. The film is not perfect though. There are a few scenes that can come off as silly but still add to the progression of the story. I highly recommend this film and hope you enjoy as much as I did. I recommend watching it with friends and good luck sleeping.
585 Reviews
Sinister is very scary! I can't sleep now!
nikdo7731 March 2013
Turn of your lights. Turn up your volume. Close all your curtains. And enjoy that you can't sleep that night. Sinister is a great movie. Take a blanket and when it is scary put it over your eyes :-) I don't want to tell anything about this horror movie because anything you tell will spoil the fun, you should not know anything about the story in advance I think to keep the excitement 100%. I have read some reviews and I have to say it contains too much information however they don't contain spoilers I would suggest not to read them :-) The acting was great and I really loved the horror scenes, they were amazing. Have a great horror night!
It's a decent movie, but it's Impossible to love.
Sleepin_Dragon8 October 2023
Controversial crime writer Ellison Oswalt is willing to put his family life on the line when he begins researching his next book, several deaths that occured at their new home.
A very well made, very well acted, with a good storyline, Sinister is a quality production. If I'm honest, I find it a little frustrating, I love the opening sequences, and the elderly premise of the movie, the idea of that serial killer still out there is great. What I didn't care for, was the ending, once it switches into supernatural mode, it isn't as good.
I w always thought there are too many cutaway scenes, too much filler, which pads the movie out unnecessarily, but there are plenty of jump scares, plenty of scenes to keep you entertained.
Ethan Hawke is fantastic, there's nothing more I can say, and dare I say it, his acting skills probably elevate the film somewhat.
It's definitely a decent movie, it should have been a classic.
6/10.
A very well made, very well acted, with a good storyline, Sinister is a quality production. If I'm honest, I find it a little frustrating, I love the opening sequences, and the elderly premise of the movie, the idea of that serial killer still out there is great. What I didn't care for, was the ending, once it switches into supernatural mode, it isn't as good.
I w always thought there are too many cutaway scenes, too much filler, which pads the movie out unnecessarily, but there are plenty of jump scares, plenty of scenes to keep you entertained.
Ethan Hawke is fantastic, there's nothing more I can say, and dare I say it, his acting skills probably elevate the film somewhat.
It's definitely a decent movie, it should have been a classic.
6/10.
Cringe
EnigmaMystery3 February 2022
Another supernatural mess that had the potential to be a good murder mystery type movie, only to devolve into cliche and predictable jumpscares. For goodness sake, the kids in the movie don't even look dead they just look like they're wearing halloween makeup.
And to top the cliche pie, they make this gesture with their mouth and finger like "shush", but it just comes off trying way too hard to be scary and instead looks stupid.
Guess I should've known better than to get my recommendations from mainstream media.
And to top the cliche pie, they make this gesture with their mouth and finger like "shush", but it just comes off trying way too hard to be scary and instead looks stupid.
Guess I should've known better than to get my recommendations from mainstream media.
Unpleasant and tense Ringu ripoff
perica-4315131 October 2020
This ghostly drama about power of images and children killers was a big commercial success. It skillfully builds atmosphere, jams a few jump scares and non sequiturs, but overall it almost makes sense. Though essentially a Ringu ripoff, it has enough novel elements to be an interesting and unnerving viewing. Overall, a decent scary supernatural film, somewhat based in reality, but on closer inspection, more kitschy than artsy.
Dark and Spooky
claudio_carvalho23 April 2013
Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a true crime writer that was successful in his debut with the book "Blood in Kentucky", but also has failed on his next works. He moves with his wife Tracy (Juliet Rylance), his son Trevor (Michael Hall D'Addario) and his daughter Ashley (Clare Foley) to a house in King Count that belonged to the Stevenson family expecting to write a best-seller. Ellison does not tell to Tracy that the place was a crime-scene, where four members of the Stevenson family were hanged on the backyard and the girl Stephanie had gone missing.
Ellison begins his research about the murder and soon he finds a box with super 8 home videos in the attic. He watches the movies and discovers other murder cases that might be connected to other crimes. He befriends the local Deputy (James Ransone), who is his fan, and gets additional information about the cases. He also sees a creepy man in the footages and symbols painted on the wall. He contacts the specialist Professor Jonas that tells him about the cult to the legendary Bughuul. Meanwhile, Ellison and his family are frightened by spooky events in the house. Ellison decides to quit his research and return to his house, but soon he receives a phone call from the Deputy telling what are in common in the crimes.
"Sinister" is a dark and spooky horror movie with a creepy ghost story. The plot is developed in slow pace but I startled many times with the weird situations. This is the first time that I see Ethan Hawke working in this genre and he has a convincing performance. The scary and gore conclusion offers a chance for a sequel that I hope that it does not happen. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Entidade" ("The Entity")
Ellison begins his research about the murder and soon he finds a box with super 8 home videos in the attic. He watches the movies and discovers other murder cases that might be connected to other crimes. He befriends the local Deputy (James Ransone), who is his fan, and gets additional information about the cases. He also sees a creepy man in the footages and symbols painted on the wall. He contacts the specialist Professor Jonas that tells him about the cult to the legendary Bughuul. Meanwhile, Ellison and his family are frightened by spooky events in the house. Ellison decides to quit his research and return to his house, but soon he receives a phone call from the Deputy telling what are in common in the crimes.
"Sinister" is a dark and spooky horror movie with a creepy ghost story. The plot is developed in slow pace but I startled many times with the weird situations. This is the first time that I see Ethan Hawke working in this genre and he has a convincing performance. The scary and gore conclusion offers a chance for a sequel that I hope that it does not happen. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Entidade" ("The Entity")
Sinister- See It In Cinema
cookiechip_0713 September 2012
DON'T WATCH THE TRAILER! or at least try not too. I went into this film only knowing the title and the fact i was waiting for a scary movie to actually be... yep scary. Well i was in luck, as Sinister is exactly that...quite Sinister! I say try to avoid the trailers if u can because quite a lot is shown, although having said that you will probably be so absorbed into the film that you'll forget about what you have seen and still be spooked, BOO! :)
All the actors do a good job, Ethan Hawke is solid, not quite sure about the chemistry between him and his wife but i guess its hardly relevant in this film. The directing and editing of the film is slick with interesting angles and shots. The imagery is great and so are your jumpy moments even if it does contain a few of the horror Clichés.
The plot is simple and follows true-crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) as he discovers a box of home movies "found footage" of murders that put his family in danger. Some people may dislike the believability of the films central ethos for the evil protagonist; however i liked the original mythology created here, it adds something new to the table. Also If the film is successful (im guessing it might be) the Evil Character aka Bagoul will no doubt be a new item for Halloween stores! Although not a game changer in the genre, i would easily go and say this will be the scariest film of the year and if not, well thats just win-win for us all!! ((star ratings = 7 good, 8 represents very good. 9 superb 10 epic)
All the actors do a good job, Ethan Hawke is solid, not quite sure about the chemistry between him and his wife but i guess its hardly relevant in this film. The directing and editing of the film is slick with interesting angles and shots. The imagery is great and so are your jumpy moments even if it does contain a few of the horror Clichés.
The plot is simple and follows true-crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) as he discovers a box of home movies "found footage" of murders that put his family in danger. Some people may dislike the believability of the films central ethos for the evil protagonist; however i liked the original mythology created here, it adds something new to the table. Also If the film is successful (im guessing it might be) the Evil Character aka Bagoul will no doubt be a new item for Halloween stores! Although not a game changer in the genre, i would easily go and say this will be the scariest film of the year and if not, well thats just win-win for us all!! ((star ratings = 7 good, 8 represents very good. 9 superb 10 epic)
brings the horror back into horror
nick12123517 January 2017
One of the scariest horror movies I have seen in a long time. I put off watching this one for a quite a while because when I first started it I noticed it had dim lighting which is a pet peeve of mine. Once I decided to watch it at a later date however, I realized that the cinematographer actually made very effective use of light/dark contrasts, highlighting what we need to see and using the dark spaces to create a cloistering atmosphere of dread and claustrophobia. The performances are also very good, especially the lead, although I feel as though they could have given us more background on the rest of the family. Also the ending isn't what I expected at all and I feel there could have been more action but it did fit in with the rest of this movie which can be quite slow at times, but you hardly notice because of the way this film draws you into it's world. The super 8 sequences were terrifying, they had me on the edge of my seat. In my opinion Sinister is probably one of the best horror films of this decade.
This is the scariest film i have ever seen
nickjohngray19 April 2013
This is the scariest film i have ever seen and i have seen a lot of them, made me jump about 20 to 30 times, they should make more films like this. Don't let any kids watch this, it would F*** them up for life. this was the first film to make me jump when the credits were showing, great story line to, enough to keep you thinking and to get you mind really involved and then BANG! another jump nice! not bloody, but quite sick, but all good for the purpose, none of it is real anyhow as i am aware. i had my son watch it with me and his friends and they all thought that this one was the scariest as well. Sometimes i felt like kicking the ass of the film makers as it was so f####en scary. Had trouble sleeping that night. Dame you guys to hell
Clever and chilling
filipemanuelneto21 November 2016
When I watched this movie I had few expectations about it, but I ended up being satisfied with what I saw. The story revolves around a true-crime writer who, inadvertently, stumbles on a bunch of old movies with macabre scenes of murder. But if you're expecting gore and litres of blood, forget it. What is more frightening in the film is precisely what the cameras don't show but know how to suggest. The crime scenes are truly remarkable, and they were done cleverly in a long-disused (Super 8) video film that was cleverly honoured. The film is getting more and more intense, as events occur that reveal the true nature of the killer. The ending is at least unexpected. The soundtrack accompanies every moment with great discretion, managing to avoid imposing itself on the action of the film. Scott Derrickson, the director / writer, deserves the laurels, as does Ethan Hawke, who brings the lead actor to life.
One of the Strongest Horror Films In Years
Michael_Elliott15 October 2012
Sinister (2012)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) moves his wife and two young children into a home where four people were murdered years earlier. A young girl also went missing so the writer digs in to try and solve the case but before long he finds some 8mm footage that shows other horrendous death scenes. SINISTER certainly lives up to its title as this here is one of the most disturbing horror films to come across in a very long time. I think what makes the film work so well is that it doesn't fall into many horror trappings, which is either a bunch of loud noises to try and scare you or going for a gory, exploitation style filmmaking. SINSITER does the opposite as it really tells a wonderful mystery story and just slowly builds up all the evil and this leads to an incredibly chilling finale. The mystery of the 8mm footage is something that is so perfectly written that you can't help get caught up in everything going on and you're completely glued to the film trying to find the next clue so that the killings can be solved. The screenplay also makes a right decision in letting us really get to know the writing, his personal problems and the issues that he's having with the family. The more you can connect with this writer and his family the more you begin to care for them and want to see them survive this entire ordeal. Director Scott Derrickson really does a remarkable job at slowly building up the tension but he also manages to make for a very dark and sinister atmosphere. The 8mm footage is beautifully shot and it's quit haunting as is the sound of the projector each time it comes on. I'm not going to ruin the ending but kudos to him for having the guts to end it the way he did. Hawke turns in an incredibly strong performance as you believe every aspect of what his character is going through. It helps to have such a strong actor and especially as the film moves along and the tension starts to wear on the character. Juliet Rylance is good as the wife and we get strong support from James Ransone and Fred Dalton Thompson. The film doesn't resort to gory violence or cheap scares but instead it really builds up a feeling of true evilness and by the end of the picture you're really going to be wrap up in the terror going on and everything that's about to happen to conclude the picture.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) moves his wife and two young children into a home where four people were murdered years earlier. A young girl also went missing so the writer digs in to try and solve the case but before long he finds some 8mm footage that shows other horrendous death scenes. SINISTER certainly lives up to its title as this here is one of the most disturbing horror films to come across in a very long time. I think what makes the film work so well is that it doesn't fall into many horror trappings, which is either a bunch of loud noises to try and scare you or going for a gory, exploitation style filmmaking. SINSITER does the opposite as it really tells a wonderful mystery story and just slowly builds up all the evil and this leads to an incredibly chilling finale. The mystery of the 8mm footage is something that is so perfectly written that you can't help get caught up in everything going on and you're completely glued to the film trying to find the next clue so that the killings can be solved. The screenplay also makes a right decision in letting us really get to know the writing, his personal problems and the issues that he's having with the family. The more you can connect with this writer and his family the more you begin to care for them and want to see them survive this entire ordeal. Director Scott Derrickson really does a remarkable job at slowly building up the tension but he also manages to make for a very dark and sinister atmosphere. The 8mm footage is beautifully shot and it's quit haunting as is the sound of the projector each time it comes on. I'm not going to ruin the ending but kudos to him for having the guts to end it the way he did. Hawke turns in an incredibly strong performance as you believe every aspect of what his character is going through. It helps to have such a strong actor and especially as the film moves along and the tension starts to wear on the character. Juliet Rylance is good as the wife and we get strong support from James Ransone and Fred Dalton Thompson. The film doesn't resort to gory violence or cheap scares but instead it really builds up a feeling of true evilness and by the end of the picture you're really going to be wrap up in the terror going on and everything that's about to happen to conclude the picture.
Well made but, a strong sense of "been there, done that."
jaguiar31312 October 2012
"Sinister" is yet another horror flick that is well made but, is just too familiar to really be effective. The story opens as a true crime author (Ethan Hawke) moves his family into a house where a multiple homicide was committed (always a bad move) that is the subject of his new novel. But, a box of old home movies mysteriously shows up containing footage of numerous murders and before you can say "The Ring" a pagan boogie man know as Buhguul is haunting the footage and his life. Scott Derrickson does create some nice atmosphere and there are some genuinely spooky scenes and well executed jump scares but, he and C. Robert Cargill's script is far too reminiscent of films like "The Ring" and "The Grudge" to establish it's own identity and really scare us. You pretty much know what is coming and it's no shock when the film finally gets there. As usual, Hawke's Ellison makes all the right stupid decisions to set the story in motion and continues to do so to keep it headed toward it's predicable conclusion. And I can forgive stupidity in a horror flick if at least it delivers the goods and "Sinister" only does really gives us some good chills in the last third but, then arrives at a routine conclusion for this kind of flick that we see coming a mile away. It also doesn't help that so little is known about this Buhguul entity that we never really get a good grasp of it's character and therefor don't really get a good sense of menace. He's just another generic boogie man hiding in pictures and movie footage like the long haired girl ghosts of Asian horror, but, without the personality. The cast all perform well. Hawke is good despite the familiarity of the material and Juliet Rylance does her job as the wife concerned over her husbands behavior, although James Ransone's deputy is one stop away from Deputy Dewey from "Scream" . The film does have a slow burn and ultimately could have used a few minutes taken out to move things a long better as there is some repetition with some of the scenes' events (the projector starting on it's own). And the film might have been a bit more effective had the spooky scenes come closer together. All in all SInister is worth a rental, it's not bad, just far too much of what we have seen far too many times before to make it anything more then a forgettable diversion.
Best Horror Film in the Last Decade
BobbyGuerrieri29 September 2012
Ellison, played by Ethan Hawke, is a true crime novelist who is looking to publish a bestseller more than ten years after the release of his hit book, "Kentucky Blood". Ellison moves his family (a wife and two young kids) into a house that was the scene of a grisly crime, leaving a mother, father, and two children dead, and a third child missing. Upon moving in, Ellison finds a box of super 8 films in the attic. On the tapes are the murders of the family who previously lived in his house and four other murders dating back to 1966. The only connection between the murders is a symbol found in all the videos. With his marriage deteriorating and his children's behavior becoming increasingly strange, Ellison is determined to connect the dots and possibly even solve the string of gruesome murders.
I'm sure everyone is familiar with the popular 'scary maze game'. Even if you know what is going to happen, you will most likely be scared in the moments leading up to the 'big scare'. You aren't scared of what is on the screen, but you're scared of what is about to be on the screen. That is the difference between surprise and horror. If the moments leading up to a jump scare are suspenseful, the actual scare is considered 'earned'. Too many horror movies nowadays have unearned jump scares. 'Sinister' is not at all one of those movies. It has it's fair share of jump scares, but after the initial shock, you don't feel at all relieved. The scares stick with you and you will go back to being just as tense as you were before the scare.
Another way 'Sinister' differs from most modern horror movies is that it actually focuses on plot. The film's director Scott Derrickson spends just as much time focusing on plot development as he does on scaring us, much like he did with 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'. Since the characters are more developed and have more depth, we are able to relate to them much easier. 'Sinister' is more of a drama about family than it is a horror movie.
Ethan Hawke gives one of the best performances I've ever seen in a horror movie. He is great through the entire movie, but especially shines in scenes where he is frustrated. Juliet Rylance who plays his equally as frustrated wife is also great. With great performances from the two leads, it almost doesn't matter how well-acted the characters of their children are, but they are great nonetheless. Michael Hall D'Addario who plays Trevor provides one of the most shocking and terrifying scares I've ever seen (I just wish it wasn't in the trailer. However, if it wasn't, I may have peed).
I was lucky enough to see this movie in advance and attend a Q&A session with the director and writer. In the Q&A, they mentioned how this is a new take on the 'found footage' genre. This time however, instead of an "anonymous source" finding the footage and "editing" it from 36 hours to 80 minutes, the main character is the one who finds the footage. The audience is shown the footage, but not all at once. It is split up perfectly. Every time you hear the projector power up, you will automatically begin looking through the tiny slits between your fingers and you will certainly hold your breath.
'Sinister' is disturbing. 'Sinister' is 'Saw' level disturbing. During some scenes, I was actually trembling. The ending is also extremely messed up and surprising. And messed up. Not to mention messed up. The shocking imagery and twisted murders with certainly stick with you. Luckily you won't have any nightmares about the movie, but that's only because you won't be sleeping at all.
'Sinister' is the scariest horror movie in years and the best overall in the last decade. Horror fans will flock to see this movie and will not be disappointed. It is well-acted, well- written, well-directed, and most importantly, terrifying. If you see only one horror movie the rest of the year, let this be it. It is near-perfect and a step in the right direction for horror movies.
bobbysmoviereviews.blogspot.com
I'm sure everyone is familiar with the popular 'scary maze game'. Even if you know what is going to happen, you will most likely be scared in the moments leading up to the 'big scare'. You aren't scared of what is on the screen, but you're scared of what is about to be on the screen. That is the difference between surprise and horror. If the moments leading up to a jump scare are suspenseful, the actual scare is considered 'earned'. Too many horror movies nowadays have unearned jump scares. 'Sinister' is not at all one of those movies. It has it's fair share of jump scares, but after the initial shock, you don't feel at all relieved. The scares stick with you and you will go back to being just as tense as you were before the scare.
Another way 'Sinister' differs from most modern horror movies is that it actually focuses on plot. The film's director Scott Derrickson spends just as much time focusing on plot development as he does on scaring us, much like he did with 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'. Since the characters are more developed and have more depth, we are able to relate to them much easier. 'Sinister' is more of a drama about family than it is a horror movie.
Ethan Hawke gives one of the best performances I've ever seen in a horror movie. He is great through the entire movie, but especially shines in scenes where he is frustrated. Juliet Rylance who plays his equally as frustrated wife is also great. With great performances from the two leads, it almost doesn't matter how well-acted the characters of their children are, but they are great nonetheless. Michael Hall D'Addario who plays Trevor provides one of the most shocking and terrifying scares I've ever seen (I just wish it wasn't in the trailer. However, if it wasn't, I may have peed).
I was lucky enough to see this movie in advance and attend a Q&A session with the director and writer. In the Q&A, they mentioned how this is a new take on the 'found footage' genre. This time however, instead of an "anonymous source" finding the footage and "editing" it from 36 hours to 80 minutes, the main character is the one who finds the footage. The audience is shown the footage, but not all at once. It is split up perfectly. Every time you hear the projector power up, you will automatically begin looking through the tiny slits between your fingers and you will certainly hold your breath.
'Sinister' is disturbing. 'Sinister' is 'Saw' level disturbing. During some scenes, I was actually trembling. The ending is also extremely messed up and surprising. And messed up. Not to mention messed up. The shocking imagery and twisted murders with certainly stick with you. Luckily you won't have any nightmares about the movie, but that's only because you won't be sleeping at all.
'Sinister' is the scariest horror movie in years and the best overall in the last decade. Horror fans will flock to see this movie and will not be disappointed. It is well-acted, well- written, well-directed, and most importantly, terrifying. If you see only one horror movie the rest of the year, let this be it. It is near-perfect and a step in the right direction for horror movies.
bobbysmoviereviews.blogspot.com
Strange how a film can surprise!
dixonbainbridgeisaledge9 September 2012
Sinister follows the character of Ellison (Ethan Hawke), a true-crime novelist who purchases a new home with the hopes of writing a successful book. After moving into his new home, he discovers a box of old home movies that depict previous families who lived in the house, as well as their murders. As Ellison looks further into the mystery behind the tapes, he discovers that the murders all have ties to a supernatural entity known only as "Bagul". Bagul exists in images of himself and runs the risk of making Ellison's family the latest casualty of the house.
Director Scott Derrickson cleverly used a variety of different camera angles on several key occasions in the film to express the fear and shock of the victims, and the use of sound to depict this was done in a horrifying way. As in many films, actors were used to portray the characters. Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance and Clare Foley acted out the most prominent characters in the film. The camera was operated by George Bianchini, in his usual unpredictable manner. Overall I thought the film will pretty much do what it wants to do: make plenty of money. And if people get entertained in the mean time, all the power to them. I thought it was one of the scariest films I had seen this year, and I like being scared so for me this was good.
Director Scott Derrickson cleverly used a variety of different camera angles on several key occasions in the film to express the fear and shock of the victims, and the use of sound to depict this was done in a horrifying way. As in many films, actors were used to portray the characters. Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance and Clare Foley acted out the most prominent characters in the film. The camera was operated by George Bianchini, in his usual unpredictable manner. Overall I thought the film will pretty much do what it wants to do: make plenty of money. And if people get entertained in the mean time, all the power to them. I thought it was one of the scariest films I had seen this year, and I like being scared so for me this was good.
"Sinister"- A solid and satisfying creep-show despite a clunky third act.
TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness7 June 2017
Say what you will about the varying quality of their releases- popular horror film production company Blumhouse really has a good thing going these days. With micro-budget features like the "Insidious" and "Paranormal Activity" series that are reliant on genuine scares over effects, and some very decent and high-quality releases under their name, its a modern day rags-to-riches story like few others. A company that has flourished without having to spend the hundreds of millions that bigger studios throw around. And one of their more fascinating releases of the past few years has most certainly been director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill's atmospheric and unsettling freak-show "Sinister." It has all the trademarks of an inferior film- plenty of jumps, lots of blood-'n-gore that is questionable, a blaring soundtrack. And yet, I feel it rises above many other films because of one thing- expert building and payoff of atmosphere.
We follow the story of true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), who moves his family into a new house... though his wife and children are unaware that their new home is also the location of an infamous unsolved murder, which Ellison is hoping to use as the basis for a new book. Soon enough, while doing research, Ellison discovers a mysterious box packed away in the attic that houses a collection of 8mm film strips appearing to depict almost ritualistic murders, all with one thing in common- the death of an entire family. As Ellison tries to solve the mystery of these dark and devious film-strips, his family soon finds itself haunted by strange happenings and unexplainable events... which may very well be tied the spirits of the slain victims and a demonic figure that Ellison begins to recognize as he continually appears again and again during his investigation...
A great deal of why the film works lays in the capable hands of the creative minds behind it. While I have taken issue with some of director Derrickson's films in the past (including the woefully misjudged "The Day the Earth Stood Still" remake), I've very much admired his work in the field of horror, in addition to his recent return to the mainstream with the delightful "Doctor Strange." And despite a limited budget, he shines through with wicked visual direction and a wonderfully disturbing sense of dread in "Sinister." This is one eerie, unsettling film, and his keen use of darkness, composition and suggestive camera angles lends a lot of fear to the proceedings. You can feel the tension growing with each and every passing moment, and at any time, you feel like everything is going to fall apart. I also very much admired how he handled the many "snuff films" we see peppered throughout the runtime... they are deliciously evil and twisted in all the right ways to give you the best of goosebumps.
The story Derrickson and Cargill craft is just a blast and a half, with extremely likable characters (archetypal though they may be) and a good structure that builds at a gradual but consistent pace. It's a very well-written film for the most part, and it does its job wonderfully in setting up the insanity to follow. Combine that with top-notch performances, and you got the recipe for a great little horror film. Ethan Hawke is absolutely marvelous as always, and it's nice to see him doing just a fun, old-fashioned horror flick. Supporting roles by the likes of Juliet Rylance, James Ransone and Clare Foley are also extremely well-played. And hey... we even get a small, uncredited turn from the fantastic Vincent D'Onofrio as a professor who repeatedly works alongside Oswalt via Skype chat. It's a small role, but it's also a lot of fun.
That being said... Oh, boy is there one glaring issue that does drag the film down quite a bit, and it's where it loses some major points for me. And that is the third act. While I will not spoil anything, be prepared for a bit of a let-down with a final reel that feels hastily patched together and has a fair share of moments that stink of studio interference. The first hour is so well assembled, that it's actually pretty mind-blowing how much of a mess the final thirty or so minutes are. With a rash of mind-numbing moments, repeated sloppy exposition dumps and a final sequence that is more likely to illicit unintentional giggles than genuine shocks... it doesn't go out with a bang so much as a whimper.
Still, it's not enough to ruin the film. Because outside of that messy, clunky finale, the rest of the film is incredibly strong and it is still a tale well-worth checking out. It's absolutely awe- inspiring sense of primal fear, wonderful performances and wicked entertainment value make it a great go-to for Halloween-night viewings or checking out with a big group of friends in the dark. It's not a perfect film. But it's a very solid and scary experience that I completely recommend to all fans of horror.
I give "Sinister" a very good 8 out of 10.
We follow the story of true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), who moves his family into a new house... though his wife and children are unaware that their new home is also the location of an infamous unsolved murder, which Ellison is hoping to use as the basis for a new book. Soon enough, while doing research, Ellison discovers a mysterious box packed away in the attic that houses a collection of 8mm film strips appearing to depict almost ritualistic murders, all with one thing in common- the death of an entire family. As Ellison tries to solve the mystery of these dark and devious film-strips, his family soon finds itself haunted by strange happenings and unexplainable events... which may very well be tied the spirits of the slain victims and a demonic figure that Ellison begins to recognize as he continually appears again and again during his investigation...
A great deal of why the film works lays in the capable hands of the creative minds behind it. While I have taken issue with some of director Derrickson's films in the past (including the woefully misjudged "The Day the Earth Stood Still" remake), I've very much admired his work in the field of horror, in addition to his recent return to the mainstream with the delightful "Doctor Strange." And despite a limited budget, he shines through with wicked visual direction and a wonderfully disturbing sense of dread in "Sinister." This is one eerie, unsettling film, and his keen use of darkness, composition and suggestive camera angles lends a lot of fear to the proceedings. You can feel the tension growing with each and every passing moment, and at any time, you feel like everything is going to fall apart. I also very much admired how he handled the many "snuff films" we see peppered throughout the runtime... they are deliciously evil and twisted in all the right ways to give you the best of goosebumps.
The story Derrickson and Cargill craft is just a blast and a half, with extremely likable characters (archetypal though they may be) and a good structure that builds at a gradual but consistent pace. It's a very well-written film for the most part, and it does its job wonderfully in setting up the insanity to follow. Combine that with top-notch performances, and you got the recipe for a great little horror film. Ethan Hawke is absolutely marvelous as always, and it's nice to see him doing just a fun, old-fashioned horror flick. Supporting roles by the likes of Juliet Rylance, James Ransone and Clare Foley are also extremely well-played. And hey... we even get a small, uncredited turn from the fantastic Vincent D'Onofrio as a professor who repeatedly works alongside Oswalt via Skype chat. It's a small role, but it's also a lot of fun.
That being said... Oh, boy is there one glaring issue that does drag the film down quite a bit, and it's where it loses some major points for me. And that is the third act. While I will not spoil anything, be prepared for a bit of a let-down with a final reel that feels hastily patched together and has a fair share of moments that stink of studio interference. The first hour is so well assembled, that it's actually pretty mind-blowing how much of a mess the final thirty or so minutes are. With a rash of mind-numbing moments, repeated sloppy exposition dumps and a final sequence that is more likely to illicit unintentional giggles than genuine shocks... it doesn't go out with a bang so much as a whimper.
Still, it's not enough to ruin the film. Because outside of that messy, clunky finale, the rest of the film is incredibly strong and it is still a tale well-worth checking out. It's absolutely awe- inspiring sense of primal fear, wonderful performances and wicked entertainment value make it a great go-to for Halloween-night viewings or checking out with a big group of friends in the dark. It's not a perfect film. But it's a very solid and scary experience that I completely recommend to all fans of horror.
I give "Sinister" a very good 8 out of 10.
Sinister. A Excellent Horror Film.
shayden201014 October 2012
Sinister is very well made horror film. It is the only scary horror film I've seen for a very long time. It's never too cliché as most horror movies are. It never cheats you. The performances are believable and the story is intriguing and always moving. The director has control over his audience, and the audience is completely okay with that. I knew early into the film what kind of horror film it was and I how it would scare me. And that what was one of things it had going for it. You can anticipate the scares and that makes it much more frightening. Do not confuse anticipation with predictability. The movie wasn't too gruesome, which left more room for actual fear. All in all, it is a very good film, So good, it's almost... Sinister...
Hats off to the decade;s scariest movie with some mistakes
petit764 October 2012
I was fortunate enough to see the prescreening of this movie and I have to underline the intensity of the pure horror in it.I actually was skeptical to see this movie due to the overrated trailer. Honestly the trailer is giving just a tad bit of what the movie is all about. I will do my best not to spoil this movie in my review. I trembled throughout the movie with the plot and cinematography used to pull of this movie. The character and the plot development have been elaborately handled and nothing has been blown out of the proportion. Aside from the scene where the kid is getting outside the box everything was scary in it. The idea that crime novelist dad find boxes of murder tapes and his trying to see what those murders are all about and his connecting those scenes to each other in the cinematographic aspect is well done and well maintained. Ethan Hawke's plausibility is a great contribution along with the other cast. I did not see any character who did not fit to the cast at all. Everyone in the movie was very close to the reality which made this movie quite outstanding. The characters are nothing but perfect. Ethan Hawke features a crime novelist who moves in a new house with his family. His finding a box of 8 mm tapes on which gruesome murders took place drags the audience to the depth of the real horror. The camera-work and the quality of the shooting technique build up to the intensity to make this movie scary enough. The gruesome murders on the tapes are split into two parts so nothing is shown at once which makes the audience wait for the second batch of the murders which are quite disturbing. The taped murder scenes are quite disturbing and I totally understand the reason why the rating is quite comprehensive with warnings/ The imagery used in the movie is also very scary and it adds up. The audience understands what is really going on with logical sequence order. I can clearly state that Sinister is the scariest movie among all the movies i have byfar laid eyes on. I would have hard time deciding which one tops when compared to Exorcist of Blattey's. I was pretty pessimistic with the scary movies lately but Sinister has been upto par. If you want to watch a real scary movie and feel the intensity of a real horror movie go see this movie!! There were also some incompetencies throughout. The entire movie cast is around 5 people excluding the killer missing kids with terrible make up. His not letting the Police department know what happened there at the house was off. The deputy's hesitant behavior was very odd and made me feel like he was involved with the murders but he wasn't. The biggest failure of the director was during the interview of the novelist's interview regarding one of his books named Kentucky Blood on TV he said he would prefer not writing any novels if he could find the justice for the murdered ones but a couple sequence later he makes a debate with his wife and tries to convince her that he has to write the book to make more money like making a movie project out of the story he was about to pen. That was a great inconsistency
it really scares
goccukgurbaa5 November 2016
I like horror movies. They don't scare me much but I love the chilly feeling. Sinister is one of the most scary movies I've ever watched. I got so scared that I had to pause the movie and convinced myself that the scenes are not real several times. I had no idea if the movie is about a real world killer or a paranormal thing and you can't tell it in the first 30 minutes. I believe this part of the movie is the scariest one. In the rest of the movie, the story unfolds and you can predict the ending. So the scare level degrades. Nevertheless Sinister scares you until the ending. It's a good movie with good directing and acting and a mediocre story. I highly recommend it.
not scary at all
trashgang9 February 2013
Halloween 2012 I had to chose between a few flick who had their premiere that night. I went for Bait and Possession and Paranormal Activity 4. Sinister I didn't watch back then but waited a few months. Somehow I had a bad feeling with this.
And I was right. There was a bit too much of talking going on. And when the ghosts appear it looked a bit laughable too. Although that it had a few nice killings, sadly on 8mm. A true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) comes across some snuff 8mm. Je wants to know the truth behind it but it isn't what it looks, is it a serial killer or a ghost at work.
It never scared me or gave me any jump moments. Even when the films over and things are over you could guess what will happen next, never okay if you have that feeling. The acting on the other hand is sublime but there was an overall look that never made it look like a horror. A mainstream horror clearly made not to have a R-rating. Fits perfectly for screaming teenagers who want to protect (kiss) their love while watching.
Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
And I was right. There was a bit too much of talking going on. And when the ghosts appear it looked a bit laughable too. Although that it had a few nice killings, sadly on 8mm. A true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) comes across some snuff 8mm. Je wants to know the truth behind it but it isn't what it looks, is it a serial killer or a ghost at work.
It never scared me or gave me any jump moments. Even when the films over and things are over you could guess what will happen next, never okay if you have that feeling. The acting on the other hand is sublime but there was an overall look that never made it look like a horror. A mainstream horror clearly made not to have a R-rating. Fits perfectly for screaming teenagers who want to protect (kiss) their love while watching.
Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
Very effective disturbing horror
UniqueParticle10 November 2019
The kind of movie that crawls under your skin and sticks with you for many years! The music is chilling, Ethan Hawke is great and I am glad I own Sinister on Blu-Ray. To me quite an original that keeps you intrigued for more, Also I really like the over-shirt that is worn throughout most of the film by Ethan Hawke, it looks cozy.
Captivating, creepy, atmospheric n an excellent ominous, eerie soundtrack.
Fella_shibby18 February 2017
I saw this first on a DVD in 2013. Revisited it recently. The movie was a like a breath of fresh air. The soundtrack was awesomely creepy n haunting. This movie had me glued from start to finish. I cud only recognise Ethan hawke from the star cast. Well the plot is basic - a family has moved into the wrong house where the previous tenants were murdered. It is not at all predictable n it is very terrifying. The title, Sinister aptly suits the movie. Captivating and creepy from the opening, it packs in plenty of scares from start to finish while also creating a horrifyingly unsettling atmosphere that engulfs you in same way that it grips the main character. Its a slow burn horror but not at all boring. The movie is full of atmosphere n tension. The creepy tapes, creepy kids, creepy drawings n most of all a very creepy n noteworthy villain, Mr Boogie. Scott Derrickson did a terrific job with the direction. Been a fan of his Exorcism of Emily.... As a pure chair-jumper, its right up there with the best. Derrickson knows how to put effective horror scenes on screen.
plain boring
andreas-9433016 February 2020
It's so slow and boring, even skipping 10seconds wise is still annoying because he's just wandering around in the dark with his baseball bat.Maybe a horror movie for a girls pyjama party but if you really like horror movies just skip that one and don't waste your time. I know you need a dark mood to built up the tension but all the time you wanna just shout -Put the damn light switch on!-
Superbly scary movie!
vishnu10318 November 2012
This movie is a must watch for all the horror fanatics. I really did not expect it to be so good and after watching it am totally impressed. The the sound effects are amazing. The movie is so unconventional and different than most horror movies in a way that it makes you wonder if its a true story. Best part is that it makes you think and there are so many scenes wherein you just want to pause the movie because you just cant handle the intense suspense. Its a must watch and you will not regret for even a single moment, all the more a true horror movie fan would get peace of mind for a good deal of time before they would want to watch another spin chilling horror movie. A fantastic horror movie after a long time!!! I hope a sequel comes out soon to reveal the secrets of the origin of the murderer!
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