Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) User Reviews

Possession switch

[MB-reviewer185 · 7/10 · 15 October 2021]

I really liked the first Insidious and though it was suspenseful and creepy, after seeing Insidious: Chapter 2 I thought it was a good sequal taking place after the first.

It was creepy and suspenseful and the acting from Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Lin Shaye were still really good also the child acting was pretty good.

James Wan made a good sequal to a really good movie, the movie is a possession movie but it changes it up and does something new that works well.

I won't spoil how the first Insidious movie ended just in case you haven't seen it, but I think this is worth watching like the first.

James Wan continues his streak of solid horror flicks, and improves on Chapter 1.

[Big_D_Box_Office_Score · 7/10 · 12 September 2013]

Insidious brought us the usual haunting story, with a couple new elements sprinkled in. Chapter 2 does a great job of furthering itself from the usual fare, by expanding on the elements that made it different. One on the elements of this franchise is the focus on "Astral Projection", which is a person subconsciously leaving his/her body and traveling though a spirit realm (called the "Further" in this movie), leaving the body empty until the soul returns. While projecting, the soul can interact with other spirits, good and bad. Chapter 2 picks right up from where the first ended (SPOILER FOR THE 1ST MOVIE! SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH TO AVOID!) - the father succeeds in rescuing his son's soul, but something else has taken the father's body in the process. Is it as scary as the first? That's debatable...if you liked the scares from the first movie, then you'll get a kick out of some of the tension- filled moments in this one. If you weren't a fan, then it'll probably just be more of the same. My opinion - slightly fewer scary moments, but definitely a few quality jumps, perhaps of a higher quality than the first. (There's one 3-hit combo in particular that I thought was really good.) I will say that I enjoyed how the total story has evolved. Chapter 2 adds a few layers to the lore of this franchise that sparked my interests, and gives it some good depth. The script is infinitely better this time around. Patrick Wilson outdoes his previous performance, and I love anything that Barbara Hershey does. We even get a few laughs here and there. And James Wan does well to use the 'common-sense-as-viewers- applied-in-the-movie' technique again. Without giving anything away...when you get a blatant warning, YOU LISTEN TO IT. Sound editing was much better this time around, although they still rely a good amount on the usual dead silence broken by LOUD CRASHES OF NOISE AND CREEPY MUSIC... Overall, Chapter 2 makes several improvements on the first, and while, depending on your tastes, this sequel may or may not be as scary as the first, I think it's tough to deny that this is a all-around better, more entertaining movie. And, being such a low-risk, low-budget project, I'm sure a 3rd movie will be justified. Insidious: Chapter 2 scores a 3.5 out of 5 on the BDBOS.

The Sequel That We Needed

[moorecameron94 · 6/10 · 13 September 2013]

When I heard that they were making a sequel to this, I was both over-hyped with excitement and very nervous because let's face it, sequels rarely live up to the expectations of the originals. Thankfully though, this one did not disappoint (relative to the extent of other sequels).

It starts off directly where the original left off, which is nice because there is not a huge time gap in-between. Not only do they continue chapter 2 right where the first chapter left off, but the story also goes more in-depth with Josh's past.

Will every hard-core fan of Insidious be impressed by this sequel? Of course not. Insidious: Chapter 2 felt very different from the original. It was mostly because Insidious seemed more unique when it came out, while this chapter is more of the same with a few exceptions (e.g., possession). Without giving any major spoilers away, I will say that the last 30 minutes seemed more of a "slasher" movie than a paranormal movie, which may turn some hard-core Insidious fans away.

The scares also seemed forced at times, possibly from trying too hard to make the sequel as good, if not, better than the original, but it was still suspenseful regardless.

Overall 6/10

Adequate and decent sequel filled with scary deeds , thrills , chills and lots of scares

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 26 June 2014]

Supernatural horror plenty of weird phenomenon , frights , creepy beings , shocks , and eerie events . The Lambert family formed by father (Patrick Wilson) , mother (Rose Byrne) and children move temporarily into the old house of Lorraine Lambert (Barbara Hershey). Lorraine is the old friend of formerly deceased Elise Rainier (Lim Shaye) , she brings again the group of ghost hunters Specs (Leigh Whannell , also screenwriter) and Tucker (Angus Sampson) to resolve the ghastly mystery . The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world . Little do they know that the house is haunted . The family looks to prevent evil spirits from a realm called The Further .

This is a haunted child movie that contains restless horror as when the invisible and threatening beings attack . The story is split between the present day and 1986, where a young Elise Rainier is called in to help Lorraine Lambert and her son , again starred by Patrick Wilson as Josh Lambert , Rose Byrne as Renai Lambert , Ty Simpkins as Dalton , Lin Shaye a Elise Rainier , Barbara Hershey as Lorraine Lambert , Steve Coulter as Carl and Leigh Whannell as Specs . Tension , creepy atmosphere , genuine chills , suspense is continued and appear lurking and menacing into dining room , hallway , basement and rooms . Great loads of screams , shocks , exploitation and terror abound with the usual poltergeists phenomenon caused by the weird entities . It's recreated with magnificent make-up and high grade plethora special effects which are frightening and horrifying the spectator . Writer Leigh Whannell stated at the Toronto Film Festival that when he wrote the film he had a list of horror movie clichés posted above him, so he could avoid using them ; he said the first one was to make sure the family moved into a new house once the haunting started . Eerie musical score by Joseph Bishara creating a spooky atmosphere. Dark as well atmospheric cinematography by John R. Leonetti ; a majority of the film was shot inside Linda Vista Community Hospital, which also doubles as the abandoned hospital that the characters visit .

The film was well directed by James Wan and it was shot in just a few weeks ; he even has a cameo on a computer wallpaper with Specs and Tucker . Wan is an expert writer and filmmaker on terror genre as he has demonstrated in ¨Saw¨ saga , ¨Dead silence¨, among others . James Wan subsequently directed ¨The Conjuring¨ also starred by Patrick Wilson , another terror film in which keeps it horror with yet another haunted house film . And of course , his biggest success ¨Insidious¨ , it was followed by this ¨Insidious Chapter 2¨ . Furthermore , producers are preparing ¨Insidious 3¨, as Leigh Whannell himself announced that actor Dermot Mulroney will star in Insidious: Chapter 3, making for a choice that many genre fans should love . This third film will be directed and written by Leigh Whannell . Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Productions, which produced both Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2, is producing the next installment along with Oren Peli and James Wan . Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Peter Schlessel, Lia Buman and Entertainment One's Xavier Marchand are exec producing.

Not as good as the first one but still a good Horror movie overall.

[Spartan_1_1_7 · 7/10 · 20 January 2014]

Insidious Chapter 2.

I really liked Insidious Chapter 1, it was a really good horror movie after a long time in my opinion. When I heard they were making a second part (no surprise there as part 1 ending suggested it clearly), I had some doubts because sequels of Horror movies ALWAYS suck. I'm glad this didn't follow the tradition.

The story follows the previous part and all the cast is back. IT was good and answered some of the questions that were raised in the previous part. The horror stuff wasn't that much. Same goes for the atmosphere and tension. I really liked the fact that the two detectives were also back and they had some funny scenes too. Would be awesome if those two can get a whole movie.

It wasn't as good as part 1 but still was a good horror movie. James wan sure is a savior of Horror movies in these times.

7/10.

Mostly a logically continuation that works well

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 19 May 2014]

It's after the first movie and the police suspects Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) of killing the medium Elise Rainier. The police interrogates his wife Renai (Rose Byrne) about the night. Dalton seems to be normal but things are not right at home. It turns out that back in 1986, Elise had interviewed Josh, and Specs and Tucker rediscover the taped interview. Mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) sees a vision and everybody suspects there is a spirit. Josh refuses to acknowledge any of it except he is talking to an unseen person.

This one misses Dalton in danger. Heck the kid is on the poster in the first one. There is something about a child in danger which raises the tension. That's why the best scene is the one with Dalton and the tin cans. When the string gets taut, that's a horror scene that I haven't seen before. It is a beautiful setup as if something is about to be pulled out of the closet. Patrick Wilson is great when he makes the switch. He's just as capable playing either side. The sequel follows logically from the original and works well for the most part. The other world is fascinating and very satisfying.

If you were a fan of the first, you will love the second installment

[puppycupcake · 10/10 · 12 September 2013]

The movie picks up right where the first left off, and really gives you the back story of the family and why they are going through everything they are going through. They style is very similar, and there is so much originality and style that you just don't see with today's modern horror story flicks. There are plenty of scares, plot twists, surprises, a-ha moments, and plenty of tense moments and horror. I really enjoyed it just as much as the first. I got to see The Ultimate Insidious Experience which was a back to back double feature which was really cool to refresh what had happened in the first. There are moments that explain cleverly scenes that didn't make sense in the beginning but are cleverly resolved in the end. I have always loved the first Insidious and the second is equally as good in my book. If you didn't like the first, you won't like the second. It's just a great spooky, scary, haunted house, ghost, abandoned hospital story that is well-done and leaves you very satisfied at the end. They leave it open for further sequels that are sure to follow. A definite must-see for any horror movie fan.

Continuation

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 5 June 2014]

This movie starts exactly where the other one left off. So it would make sense for you to have watched part 1. It does work without it, because everything gets sort of explained, but it would be better if you had the knowledge already while watching. The movie sets out and tries to get the viewers it had from part 1 and it does succeed.

The really out there ending from part 1 gets referenced here and kinda mirrored, but what really works is the story and the scares it does deliver because of that. Some people criticized the actors, but I'd argue they are really good. Not because of their names, but because they can and do act in this one. Not as good as Conjuring, but far better than other horror movies (with or without blood ... this one being one of the latter).

Lived up to the hype

[MDebs22 · 9/10 · 12 September 2013]

All week I was digging around trying to find critics' reviews about this to see what they thought at their early screenings. Well, it wasn't good, and I was feeling let down already. They all basically said the same thing; that the jump and scare moments were plenty, but that's about it. The story is too convoluted and it just isn't as good as the first one. Also, there is too much humor and wit in it, and it takes away from the tension buildup. But would that stop me from seeing it first chance I get Thursday night? As a die-hard of demon movies and of the first Insidious, nothing was going to stop me.

When the movie opened with the original Insidious creepy sound of high-pitched instruments, I was very excited. I sat back and prepared to enjoy the ride. And did I ever. At the conclusion, I immediately knew that this installment was more horrifying than the first one. I'm not saying the story was better, or that it was written, acted, or any other cinema verb you could think of done better, because that's still up for debate. But what I knew for sure was that this was more terrifying than the first one. And that's the whole point of scary movies, right? To be terrified? A handful of the jump and scare moments will stick with you, that's for sure. Patrick Wilson did an amazing job, as he has done in his recent string of scary movies. While the two goofy underlings to Elise do bring humor to the table, I don't think it takes much away from the overall dread and terror. At least not as much as critics are saying it does. What I loved about this movie besides the scares, was that it tied together some things from the first one. I wasn't expecting that. You'll see what I'm talking about when you see it though. You'll probably say something along the lines of what I said when it was happening.."Wow, that was beautifully planned out and executed. Props to the writers there." The story is more complicated than the first one, but if you can keep up, you'll really appreciate and enjoy it. And the complexity of it will make it a movie worth seeing multiple times in order to catch everything. Be prepared to jump a mile in your seat at some of the parts. Then laugh while your heart rate comes back down. I'm giving this a 9/10. But that is pretty biased because of my love of the first movie. So more realistically, 8/10.

Was as funny as it was scary and an OK movie, but doesn't live up to the first.

[geoffrey_Saunders · 6/10 · 13 September 2013]

I have been looking forward to this movie the moment I heard about it. I loved the first one so much I saw it numerous times in theaters. This installment, Chapter 2, is sub-par in my opinion.

If you have read some other reviews you'll already know plenty about this movie. The review saying that we're "spoiled", and gave this a 10/10 seems a bit off, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You'll already know that its "scary moments" are sort of forced, the "ghosts" are not as creative or as "haunting" as the first movie, and that this movie seemed to have some loop holes. All in All I thought it was average at best but had the audience laughing as much as they were screaming.

This movie tried to be something it's not. You can tell they were influenced by movies such as Inception and Cabin in the Woods. It had some "plot twists" like Inception and laughs here and there like CITW. This is not a bad thing what-so ever, the only thing is, is that they didn't execute it as well as I'd hope. I wish they stayed original, while still having influences, like the first movie, and as scary as the original.

As you will read in other reviews, this movie was very anti-climatic. To the point that after the "climax" you stood their asking yourself "is it really the end? Or are they going to do some Cabin in the Woods ending where they go ALL OUT and things get CRAZY!". But they never do.

I also think this movie will be be given more thumbs down then up because it had a lot to live up to. The first movie literally had me crawled up in my chair. It was also so scary I brought my friends to go see it, to see their expressions! This movie had me feeling indifferent and telling my friends to not have high hopes.

Now this movie had some things going for it as well. I thought that the comical parts were hilarious, just were out of their element. I also thought that they gave more screen time to more worthy characters. And lastly, the music was done by the same person who did the first, and that gave the movie the same scary, ominous, uneasy feelings.

Overall I would say that if you liked the first one, this picks up right where the last one ended and it might not be "worth seeing" but you could spend your money in worse ways. Just don't expect another "insidious" or "The Conjuring". Enjoy!

Insidious sequel is spooky fun.

[jaguiar313 · 13 September 2013]

Insidious: Chapter 2 starts up almost right after the original Insidious ended with Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) Lambert reunited with their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) after his spirit was held prisoner by a demon in an afterlife dimension called 'The Further'. But, as we saw in the final frames, something else was now inhabiting Josh's body and it had strangled paranormal investigator Elise (Lin Shaye) to death. We pick up as the unsuspecting family, including older son Foster (Andrew Astor) and their infant daughter Kali, have moved in with Josh's mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) while police investigate Elise's mysterious death in their house. They are barely moved in when supernatural occurrences start to begin again with objects moving, spectral voices, apparitions appearing and dear old dad acting very strange. While Renai tries to deal with the fact that supernatural forces are still with them, Josh tries to convince her all is well and Lorraine decides to team up with Elise's former assistants paranormal investigators Specs (Leigh Whannell who also wrote the screenplay) and Tucker (Angus Sampson) along with one of the original investigators from Josh's childhood haunting, Carl (Steve Coulter) to get down to the bottom of these haunted hi-jinx once and for all. And that is all I will say about the story as, despite some familiar trappings, James Wan (The Conjuring) takes this installment in some clever directions and once again uses the familiar elements very well. We get to know the story behind the evil woman in black seen in the last film and even revisit The Further though, this time it is inventively linked to events in the first film. The pace is a bit slower and more methodical this time round but, since this film is a bit of a mystery as well as haunting, it takes it's time to let the story unfold and secrets be revealed. We still get some spooky scenes but, it is refreshingly mixed in with Lorraine and co's equally goose bump inducing investigation. And what they find is deviously fun. The film is not quite as lively as Insidious part one but, I liked the mystery element and the film earned points with me for using it's return to 'The Further' a bit more clever and less silly then last time. That is the point where the first film lost it's grip on me and here I like how it was done and was with this supernatural chiller up to the spooky end. Wan is a good director and he takes what could have been a ho-hum retread and makes it a fun follow-up. He gets good performances out of all his cast and while I found Patrick Wilson to be bland in both Insidious and The Conjuring, he gets a far more lively performance out of him here. He gets to ham it up a bit and it suits him. The film has some beautiful and creepy visuals, as is Wan's trademark, and Joseph Bishara's score adds some nice atmosphere too. So in conclusion, while the story elements are more familiar; we've seen some of it before and the pace a bit slower, Wan does give us a spooky mystery to add to the paranormal activity and makes much more clever use of his otherworldly 'Further'. He also gives us some clever answers to the questions left by his first Insidious and that all adds up to a spooky fun time at the movies. Also stars House Of The Devil's Joceline Donahue as young Lorraine in some equally clever flashback sequences that tie into the rest of the film in a fun way.

Watch it like a parody

[moshe-ferdman · 6/10 · 18 May 2014]

There were points in the movie where I was surprised, but never truly frightened.

It's formulaic, it's predictable, and it's just plain not scary.

Most movies use foreshadowing. They want to be clever and make us guess at what's coming. If the director is good at it, you'll either be misdirected for a bigger set-up or get just enough to find little bits and pieces of information that keep it interesting. No movie should let you figure out the plot from the clues unless you're Sherlock Holmes.

But this movie practically ruins itself! The suspense was never there for me because it was given away by a veritable Reeses pieces trail. The director couldn't have done a worse job if he'd included small cut-scenes where he told you what to expect in the next scene. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point.

The reasons that I'm giving even giving this movie a 6 out of 10 are. 1. It has some new takes on overdone horror themes. 2. Because halfway through, I made the mental shift to enjoy this as a comedy adventure rather than a horror movie. It made it a lot more enjoyable when I lowered my expectations and shifted genres.

I'm enjoying the series

[jsucie · 7/10 · 23 October 2020]

Although this review is only for Chapter 2, I am enjoying this series so far. I enjoyed the second instalment more than the first as I found the first movie way too similar to Poltergeist but much more PG. The second is no different in that there isn't the horror gore as there in others. This series is definitely aimed more at the teen audience than an adult one. These movies are just fun ghost stories but offer little in the way of jump scares if that's your thing. Some people will trash this movie just because it didn't make them soil themselves; others do have valid gripes (There is a massive plot hole In the beginning that doesn't get answered and besides being more realistic to real life when a murder occurs, is just left open.). Just enjoy the movie for what it's worth.

Better than the first? Could well be

[danielmanson · 7/10 · 5 February 2024]

This could be one of those rare occasions where the sequel is actually better than the first movie. The linking back to the first movie was absolutely fantastic and the continuous suspense created through really kept you on the edge of your seat.

I will say that this ideally needs to be watched right after the first movie as there is a lot of references that link back. But if you do this really is a great sequel.

I mentioned the suspense and it really does keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, similar to the first installment in that I thought that the jump scares felt a bit too obvious, but it really keeps you in suspense from the get go.

I thought the characters in the first felt a little boring, however in this one they all started to come into their own and it was all just well acted.

With the plot essentially carrying on right where the first ended, i had doubts that it would be a little boring and maybe repetitive. But, it was a really engrossing storyline that had me wondering constantly.

I do genuinely believe that this movie is a better watch than the first, just make sure you have recently watched the first.

HIGHLY entertaining :)

[clearlyconfused · 10/10 · 12 September 2013]

I loved this movie. Loved it, loved it, loved it. James Wan is one of the best directors of recent times and he makes his stand by offering two awesome horror movies this year. I personally preferred Insidious 2 though, as I appreciated the rich character development and the concept of the Further. There are clear references to The Shining and Psycho but this movie leaves its own mark of disturbing. Of course it's always great to add some light humor in between to dilute the scares (as they REALLY packed a punch in this second installment). So if you're kind of doubting the movie based on its bad rep, don't listen to the negative comments/reviews as this is easily one of the best movies this year. Everyone did a phenomenal job and the end product turned out a lot more satisfying than I expected.

An ok sequel that expanded upon the first film

[peterw1210 · 6/10 · 5 September 2021]

Insidious 2 is clever, it has a very well thought up storyline that expands upon what we saw in the first film. There are definitely parts in this film that had me in shock because of how cleverly written it was. But it lacked an ending in my opinion. I felt as though the ending of this film was not very good and definitely weighs down the the film as a whole..

Overall, 6/10.

Things that go bump in the night

[btnthx · 12 September 2013]

When you are making a horror movie it always helps to have a few things around in the movie in order to help set the mood. Things like creaky old doors, a piano, and preferably an old and creepy looking house. Now these are not absolutes, but they can help for sure. Horror movies are not like other movies, because there are so many possibilities for sequels, just look at the "Friday the 13th" series. In 2011 James Wan and Leigh Whannell brought us "Insidious", a story about a family that had unwelcome visitors in their house. The supernatural kind.

That family, the Lamberts, have gotten away from their house and the experience they had in it. Josh (Patrick Wilson), Renai (Rose Byrne), and their three children are all safe and move in with Josh's mom. At the beginning of the film you find out this is not Josh's fist experience with a sprit. It seems Josh has a gift where he sees dead people and with the help from Elise (Lin Shaye) he forgets that gift, until he uses it again to save his son from a place the living shouldn't be. That place I imagine is the same place Carol Anne from "Poltergeist" was in as well, but instead of talking through a TV, a tin can phone is used to communicate to the other side. Renai senses something is not right about Josh, a sentiment that is shared by Josh's mother as well. So with the help from a man named Carl (Steve Coulter) and two guys who provide the comic relief, they all set out to free Josh and his family from the evil that haunts them.

The story picks up exactly where the first film ended, which makes the chapter 2 a perfect title. There are so many more possible chapters to this story, because let's face it there are a lot of ghosts out there. "Insidious: Chapter 2" is part ghost story and part detective story, as we try to unravel what is following the Lamberts around. Lucky, unlike what he did with "Saw" we are still under the direction of James Wan and he keeps us on the same path as the first film. If you are going for jump out of your seat frights, then this is not the film for you. There are some moments that may make you jump a little, thanks to some good camera work, but this movie is more like "Seven" than say, "The Conjuring". In a genre that seems to be getting everything right at the moment, "Insidious: Chapter 2" doesn't disappoint. The only thing that could improve, is to have a little less common sense moments, you know those moments where a character does the thing everyone knows they shouldn't. I think it is very fitting to release this film on Friday the 13th, because like that franchise, you hope this one also has a long life making us afraid to sleep with the lights off.

Brian Taylor

http://the2cinemen.blogspot.com/

Lackluster, timid version of the first.

[quincytheodore · 6/10 · 30 September 2013]

There is something more frightening than any curse or apparition that resides in movies; it is the blight of terrible sequel, and Insidious: Chapter 2 is haunted by it. Audience would come and expect the same terror from the original, but sadly will only find inferior version of it, a formulaic possession horror flick with little charm and plenty of high pitch noises. To its credit, it does bring some good acting and direction. The script also works as a continuation, but perhaps because the mystery has dwindled; it only manages to be an average horror without the same chill its predecessor has.

Story follows the events of Insidious where Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) returned with his son from the Further, an astral realm. However, an entity is believed to be latching onto him as the clairvoyance Elise Ranier (Lin Shaye) is found dead near him. His family grows restless from the apparent continuous haunting and ultimately tries to solve the problem despite the grim obstacles ahead. The plot is rather bland, there's simply a lack of tension as the terrorizing entity is somewhat predictable and plastic.

Patrick Wilson delivers a good performance, he displays more variety of emotions to establish the dread. In some scenes he gives off cold enigmatic feel to puzzle the audience. Returning cast reprise their roles, Ross Bryne as Renai Lambert does a fine job, although her display of motherly concern at the first title was slightly better. The two ghost hunters are back, this time for more comedy relief than anything. There are probably too many humorous scenes, some are unintentional, in this sequel.

Its use of music is cringe-worthy, in fact even with only the sound, it'd be quite terrifying. The scares don't have the same weight though, as they are reduced to simple bursts rather than real frightful ones. James Wan's camera angle is great; he casually makes the viewers think there might be more in scenes than there really are, especially with a hint of contrasting color, shadowy background or some objects in outer peripheral vision.

The movie does poorly when the mystic of its entities is unveiled. Getting into fisticuffs with ghosts diminish the atmosphere since they seem unreal, part of me inadvertently immediately knew it's just make-up and sound effect put together for an illusion. Take away the jarring build up, replace it with mediocre possession scheme, even if the directing is well done, and you'll have a subpar sequel. It still performs its scare tricks decently, so at the very least it'll make you flinch a couple of times.

Thank you for the err clarifications.

[Coventry · 6/10 · 17 May 2016]

There exist three types of "sequels" in the horror movie industry… Sequels in name only, which have absolutely nothing to do with the events of the original. Normal or regular sequels, which refer or build onward on the events of the original but can be enjoyed separately still. And then finally there are sequels, although a minority, which you simply cannot begin to watch without having seen the original because the story lines of both are interwoven. "Insidious 2" is such a sequel. Don't you just love it when they are making a sequel in order to clarify and explain the convoluted and twisted plot of the original, only to end up with two utterly complex and confusing movies instead of one! Preferably you should even watch "chapter I" and "chapter II" back-to-back to fully comprehend everything. I watched them with an interlude of a few years and really had to dig deep in my memories to remember the details of the first film. But hey, let's first state clear that "Insidious 2" is an admirable fright-and-jump movie from the talented duo Leigh Wannell and James Wan who already proved that they are masters of horror and easily capable to make the hairs in the back of your neck rise. The Lambert family is still being haunted by ghosts regardless of where they live, and they come to the surface via the spiritual mediums Josh and his oldest son Dalton. Elise, the medium that that helped them to save the life of Dalton in the first film died in the last seance, but it seems as if she's still trying to warn the Lamberts for dangers from the other side, and thus Josh's mother Lorraine seeks the help of her old friend Carl. Meanwhile the police are investigating Elise's death and, since they obviously don't believe in ghosts, they want to frame Josh for murder. The main trumps of "Insidious 2" are strong performances (Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Lin Shaye and Barbara Hershey always give their finest performances when directed by James Wan), a very patient but extremely atmospheric and ominous building of suspense, genuinely petrifying shock moments that manage to grab you by the throat even though you can see them coming and a handful of intriguing sub plots. The parallel plot of Parker Crane and his petrifying shrew of a mother, for example, is truly fascinating and re-establishes once again that Wan and Whannell are creative writers.

Going back into the further

[jesse-hitzroth · 6/10 · 12 September 2013]

Insidious was one of my favourite horror films in the past couple years. It was scary, thrilling and it stuck with me long after. Most horror films can no longer due this to an audience anymore. However horror master James Wan was up for the challenge and made two horror films this year 'The Conjuring' and 'Insidious chapter 2'. Many folks will compare these two films and debate which one is scarier. The Conjuring in my opinion was a well made horror film however it lacked the scares. The story was well done and the film did a great job of building tension however it was short on scares. Insidious chapter 2 has the opposite problem, it has the scares and tension however the story just gets ridiculous and weird as it moves fourth.

Chapter 2 is a film that does not need to be made however James Wan felt he needed to continue the story and show us more of this horrible world. The film picks up exactly where Insidious left off. This will not be a friendly film for viewers that have not seen the first one. Chapter 2 flashes back and fourth from the first film and really much like the title this is chapter 2 in the story. Insidious chapter 2 starts off well enough and has many decent scares in the film, however the longer the film goes on the weirder and stranger it gets. James Wan is great with the camera work and scares once again however story telling this time around not so much.

Many people complained about the 3 rd act in the original insidious because of the 'further' and so it should be known that this film centres around the 'further' for the majority of the film. Chapter 2 does a great job of making some connections to the previous film and offers some nice new surprises. However it's a shame the film falters under it's own weight.

While not a great film by any means, it's not awful like some people would have you believe. Basically in my opinion if you liked the first film you will find something to enjoy here possibly. If you didn't like the first chapter then stay the hell away from this one. James Wan said he will not be returning to horror after this film, which is a shame as he is so great at it, so lets hope he is only taking a short break. Insidious does deserve better but honestly as far as sequels go you could do a lot worse. I had fun and even jumped quite a few times, so chapter 2 did it's purpose, however most viewers i feel will poke more fun at it then it deserves.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Brilliant Horror

[samlynn12 · 8/10 · 25 September 2013]

I went into this film with fairly high expectations. They clearly were not high enough. This easily matches, if not surpasses the first instalment. I loved the first film, and this is easily the best horror sequel I have ever seen.

The storyline was fantastic, the slightly ambiguous ending of the first film was brought to light nicely, and a deeper more complex meaning behind the haunting was revealed. The full extent of the main plot line was given in chunks, so that I was always kept guessing, right up until the end.

The actors played their roles well, child acting included. The roles were believable, and the characters were portrayed nicely.

The main thing that makes this film (and the first) so good is that it is actually scary. There is hardly any violence, no blood, but they are some of the most jumpy films that I have seen. The lower budget effects are used simply and to great effect. The low key nature of the scares make them all the more believable.

Overall this is a fantastic horror film, and matching the excellent original, if you haven't seen Insidious, see it so that you can see this! If you have seen Insidious, just see this!

Very entertaining

[ed-bffle · 7/10 · 19 September 2013]

For being PG-13, this movie was very good. It was funny, witty, suspenseful, and I thought the acting was fantastic. I was even moved at one point, almost tearing up. I personally loved the story--you can simply read the summary because I don't want to give anything away. At first it didn't make much sense but as the movie continued, different secrets unfolded and it was far easier to understand. The special effects were great as well and there were SO many pop outs! Sometimes in film they get tiresome, but I was always jumping with every clang and slam. It was a rather original concept and very well done in my opinion. I have yet to see a truly scary movie but this is by far one of the best I have seen.

Love versus evil

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 18 October 2018]

It took me a while to watch 'Insidious' and its follow ups, with so much going on with my studies and commitments and with an ever growing watch and review list. Decided to finally watch them all, with the intent of reviewing the latest film as part of my quest to see as many 2018 films as possible and wanting to see how it compared with the previous outings. Also with an appreciation, if not quite undying love, for horror.

Although there are people who understandably dislike it, found myself enjoying the first 'Insidious'. It didn't blow me away but it was well made and genuinely scary. So watched 'Insidious: Chapter 2' hoping it would be as good. 'Insidious: Chapter 2' for me was a watchable second entry but comparing it to the first, it is not as good and a disappointment in comparison. There are big drawbacks but there are good things here too.

First and foremost, 'Insidious' llooks great, especially for horror films released in recent years (too many of which have looked like they were made on the schlocky cheap). It looks slick and stylish while having a spooky setting and suitably nightmarish lighting. The effects are also suitably eerie. Although a bit too loud in spots, the music is hauntingly atmospheric.

James Wan directs with ease and real engagement and there are some genuine shocks and some creepy scares and dread. The first part is not as restrained as the first part of the first film, but when the film takes more time it is very effective. The acting, with the first film's cast returning, is good, with a particularly strong performance from Patrick Wilson. Did care for the characters, they were not ones that bored or frustrated me. The threat looks good and provides some eeriness.

Regrettably, 'Insidious: Chapter 2' has drawbacks. It does lack tension and suspense and other scares are predictable and felt like throwing in as many horror elements as one can muster regardless of originality. Some of the film is on the dull side, while the second half gets far too camp and histrionic, towards the end things get so over-the-top and senseless that one is laughing rather than feeling scared.

Moreover, 'Insidious: Chapter 2' fails to make sense and gets muddled in the latter stages, with an ending that's rushed, convoluted, silly and clichéd. The first film was derivative, this is even more so with the similarities to 'Psycho' and 'The Shining' being blatant and somehow not feeling like homages. The predictability factor is high and the script is also far worse here, very awkward and corny with some comedy that felt like it just didn't belong.

Concluding, a watchable second entry but underwhelming. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Yawn

[priya-s-deshpande · 6/10 · 14 September 2013]

Wouldn't say it's awful, there were one or two jumps in this movie... but it was a little bland and lacked the je ne sais quoi!!! Would recommend watching it once.... and then forgetting about it until Chapter 3 is out...

I personally thought The Conjuring was a much better 2013 horror. Now that gave me creeps at night!!

The comedy in the middle of the movie ruined it slightly!!! it was a little out of place and out of context.

have a look at my reviews here

http://www.chattytweety.com/2013/09/insidious-chapter-2.html

Not As Effective as the First But Enjoyable

[Michael_Elliott · 10 October 2013]

Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The Lambert family tries to move on from the events in the previous film but it doesn't take long for them to realize that something from Josh's childhood is still haunting them. To me INSIDIOUS was one of the best horror movies in recent years thanks in large part to how downright creepy and effective it was. INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 isn't nearly as successful in the scare department but it has an incredibly interesting structure that makes it worth viewing. I thought the actual story structure was the best thing going for this film as we pretty much have it starting up after the events of the first film. Instead of the story taking weeks or months for the hauntings to start, they happen right off the bat and within the matter of hours once the story continuation starts. I really liked how the story then split off into two with one group of characters dealing with one thing while the other group deals with the investigation as to what's going on. The way director James Wan went back and forth between these two sides was entertaining and certainly grabbed your attention. What didn't work in between these two sides was some extremely bad comic relief, which just stopped the film in its tracks every time it happened. As I said earlier, I really didn't find this film scary at all so compared to the original it falls well short. There were a few good moments where the atmosphere level was quite high but it still fell well short of being a classic. The performances were all extremely good with Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins and Lin Shaye in fine form. Barbara Hershey is also good here. INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 takes its time in telling its story but this here is actually another plus. While far from perfect the film manages to be entertaining.