Insidious

Follow @empiremagazine

Forum Home

Register for Free!

Log In

Moderator Tickets

FAQ

Users Online

Insidious

Logged in as: Guest

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Film Forums] >> Film Reviews >> Insidious

Page: [1] 2 next > >>

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Insidious - 29/4/2011 10:44:34 PM

Empire Admin

Posts: 26334
Joined: 29/6/2005

Post your comments on this article

Post #: 1

Insidious Has Genuine Scares - 29/4/2011 10:44:34 PM

Bighousewill

Posts: 244
Joined: 5/12/2009

I usually only watch horrors from a technical perspective because I am usually very not frightened and I am a skeptic when it comes to super natural scares as I personally have no believe that the dead can hurt us however that is a learnt belief and I used to think differently but this film presents a believable argument to skeptics about the soul or spirit and all that. I have to say that this film genuinely frightened me and caught me off guard and I applaud this film for having that effect on me and allowing me to suspend disbelief.

< Message edited by Bighousewill -- 29/4/2011 10:53:59 PM >

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 2

RE: Insidious Has Genuine Scares - 30/4/2011 12:03:13 AM

Tool143

Posts: 65
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: Northants

I am right with you on your review..
Horror movies do nothing for me but this was proper creepy!. I have never seen a cinema audience jump like they did to this film!
I am not giving anything away by saying this but the boy dancing freaked me out like nothing before.
Felt it got a bit lost at the end but all in all this is a great night out and worth seeing with a group of friends.

< Message edited by Tool143 -- 30/4/2011 12:08:11 AM >

(in reply to Bighousewill)

Post #: 3

RE: Insidious Has Genuine Scares - 30/4/2011 7:56:51 PM

Bighousewill

Posts: 244
Joined: 5/12/2009

Yes it got a bit lost in the end but it was still enjoyable to watch the same way that the kids horror film The Hole 3D was fun to watch and thats what it reminded me of, It also got less scary in the end more silly but fun.

(in reply to Tool143)

Post #: 4

RE: Insidious - 1/5/2011 10:06:36 AM

captainrentboy

Posts: 678
Joined: 16/3/2008
From: South Wales

Quite an effective lil horror film, and easily one of the better ones to come out of the US for years.
The problem is, like most recent US horrors, it just can't keep it up throughout the film's entire runtime. Once the two ghosthunters have entered the story, you can pretty much wave any sort of 'spookiness' bye bye. From there on in it's all out silliness, complete with one of the least frightening looking villians I've ever seen.
There's still the odd freaky bit (Scary old women always get me) but those last 25 minutes or so knocked it down a star for me.
3/5.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 5

RE: Insidious - 3/5/2011 4:55:52 PM

Wild about Wilder

Posts: 1485
Joined: 9/4/2010
From: Hertfordshire

Not bad better than most but that's not saying much. The writer's obviously a comic book fan Astral Projections HELLO! Dr.Strange kid even had the same costume in his drawings & old lady was wearing Golden Age Sandman's (Wesley Dodds from JSA & Sandman Mystery Theartre) old Gasmask while interpreting dreams. Nice to see a nod to a genuine classic with the role of Barbara Hershey ala The Entity now that film SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!
"as a kid of course!" an ok 6/10

(in reply to captainrentboy)

Post #: 6

- 3/5/2011 8:04:25 PM

emski_84

Posts: 1
Joined: 29/3/2011

Scary as hell! so many shrieks and jumps within the audience, a rareity these days for a good horror.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 7

RE: - 3/5/2011 8:30:08 PM

skeletonjack

Posts: 1297
Joined: 30/9/2005

Very much in the vein of Poltergeist and Wan's massively under-rated Dead Silence, Insidious is a good old fashioned horror flick. Very creepy in places but a lot of fun to go with it, horrors fans go see it!
4 stars

(in reply to emski_84)

Post #: 8

RE: RE: - 3/5/2011 8:48:03 PM

Dr Lenera

Posts: 3450
Joined: 19/10/2005

Quite similar to Poltergeist in both structure and events, Insidious is nonetheless the scariest horror movie I've seen in ages, and certainly beats both Paranormal Activity movies for terrifying the crap out of you. It's one of those films where you almost long for the slow, talky bits, because the rest of it is so intense-the trouble is, there are precious few slow, talky bits here! It opens with a really spooky sequence, scored with really spooky strings sliding upwards, involving a room, someone moving outside and a creepy old lady sitting in the darkness, and this puts you on edge already! After this, there's little build up, with frightening things happening already, and initially these are of the subtle kind, but get so numerous that I personally was nervous every time someone opened a door or went into a room. There are incredibly scary moments involving a baby monitor and one of the greatest "boo� moments I've ever seen, though director James Wan is a little too fond of using a loud musical chord during a jump scare-I'd hoped he would have been above such lazy stuff. Still, matters are incredibly tense till about half way through when the plot brings in some paranormal investigators and a psychic. The scares lessen for a bit and some don't quite work, but a descent into 'The Further' is nicely done by just using fog and a variation on the main house, while the climax employs incredibly freaky ghosts which I can't get out of my head [though the main demon reminded me too much of Darth Maul for my liking]. Overall this is a cracking horror movie, packed with frightening scenes and images [watch out for the creepiest use of photographs since Ringu!], and also pretty well acted and written. There is some nice humour in it too, though it's the brilliantly employed terror that will stay with you, and I personally found it a truly intense experience. Unfortunately, I also have a feeling I'll have trouble getting to sleep tonight!

8.5/10

_____________________________

check out more of my reviews on http://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/

(in reply to skeletonjack)

Post #: 9

Inisidious rubbish - 4/5/2011 10:34:42 AM

Scaramanga84

Posts: 2
Joined: 4/5/2011

Well I ventured down to my local cinema in quite high hopes for this film.....for some reason. I was clearly mistaken. This is the worst film ive ever seen. The music at the beginning film straight away makes you think.....this could have been a msitake. However its just music so hey ho lets go. Ok the first half of the film is quite good, with the knocking on the door scene, but still nothing to really get you off your seat. That only came with the window scene during the film. This was promising and i thought .....finally here we go. Anyhow lots of pointless things continue, then they realise and get some spritual women in then it just get stupid! Then it lost me when he goes to the other side....some terrible camera work and poor direction leads to a 1 star film and thats only because there has to be a rating or it would be 0.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 10

Inisidious rubbish - 4/5/2011 10:34:44 AM

Scaramanga84

Posts: 2
Joined: 4/5/2011

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 11

not bad - 4/5/2011 9:51:42 PM

sephiroth7

Posts: 150
Joined: 14/10/2009

Shit last 20 aside, I was genuinely rattled watching it. Just a damn shame about the final 15-20 mins.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 12

RE: not bad - 4/5/2011 10:46:04 PM

Rgirvan44

Posts: 18905
Joined: 10/3/2006
From: Punishment Park

It loses something by the end....but it is a damn good horror film. Playing with so many expectations and just a really well done slow burner of a flick.

Craps all over Scream 4.

_____________________________

It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.

(in reply to sephiroth7)

Post #: 13

- 5/5/2011 9:42:26 PM

Valadai

Posts: 2
Joined: 6/1/2010

A good horror movie, delivers what is expected.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 14

- 6/5/2011 1:13:12 AM

Angim350

Posts: 13
Joined: 18/7/2008

You know, I was really surprised by this movie. I avoid horror movies usually, not because I'm scared, but because its the same old cliches over and over, leading up to cgi ghosts or demons. The shock factor isn't there anymore. Yet, while this film had the cliches, it also had some genuine scares. I also love the premise, and was really thankful for an origonal idea. Sure, towards the end its less scary, but they manage to keep the fear up for most of its run. A pretty good effort.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 15

one of the best horror flicks for quite a long time, ge... - 8/5/2011 12:48:34 AM

TRSMMaiden

Posts: 7
Joined: 8/5/2011

take no notice of Scaramanga84. 'this is the worst film ive ever seen' ... 'the first half of the film is quite good' in the same review should say it all really.

just went to see it, really enjoyed it. i disagree with Empires rating of 3/5. 5/5 imho and there was nothing wrong with the acting. but regardless of the acting, reason to go and see a horror film is the scare factor. this film has plenty of proper scary bits all the way through it. if this film does not put you off astral projection nothing will! at the same time as being horror, even bits of intentional comedy / humour in there to get your pulse back to norm before the next scare comes. very good, better and a lot more consistently scarier than the likes of paranormal activity (which i did enjoy still), shutter, rec, grudge, ring etc (all of which i enjoyed), the strangers (that one was very overrated imho). top marks to insidious. very creepy ending as well.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 16

RE: Insidious - 8/5/2011 3:18:11 AM

fuzbucket mutant

Posts: 236
Joined: 30/9/2005

I just don't get these films - I watched Drag Me To Hell and thought it was the biggest load of drivel I had ever seen, but everyone else was raving about it - why? It was garbage! Not scary, not funny, not interesting, just plain RUBBISH!

I watched Insidious and thought it was hideous! woeful in every way possible!

When she put the gas mask on, I mean WTF? LOL what a toss idea.

2 hours wasted.

1/5

< Message edited by fuzbucket mutant -- 8/5/2011 3:23:44 AM >

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 17

RE: Insidious - 9/5/2011 9:50:40 PM

The REAL Bozz

Posts: 3273
Joined: 15/5/2007

Thought this started off really well with some great build up to the scares and an interesting mystery. Then as soon as we near the last act it all falls apart. It manages to retain a fun element in a last act but for me lost any serious cred as proper horror as it morpths into some Poltiergist/New Nightmare wannabe. I think Paranomal Activity and it's sequel are much better constructed flicks in regards to scares and story. Actually I'd say Dead Silence is much better and scarier than Insidious. The very end was cheap. You could tell what was gonna happen from the halfway point. Subtle it aint in that regard.

< Message edited by The REAL Bozz -- 9/5/2011 9:51:54 PM >

_____________________________

Films I've watched
Star Trek Into Darkness ***
Iron Man 3 *****
Evil Dead (2013) ***
Bait 3D ***

(in reply to fuzbucket mutant)

Post #: 18

RE: Insidious - 15/5/2011 12:19:13 PM

RPupkin

Posts: 87
Joined: 5/4/2011

I am not the biggest fan of horror films but this was a pleasant surprise, it had a nice build up and some genuinely scary moments. The tone whited by the the time Stanley Kubrick and his ghost busting friend turned up but it didn't hurt the feel too much. It was nice to see some homages and touches to older horror films too

(in reply to The REAL Bozz)

Post #: 19

RE: Insidious - 16/5/2011 9:55:31 AM

brucejackiejet

Posts: 45
Joined: 26/4/2011

Anyone else think the main villain looked like the Phantom Menace? If only they'd called in the jedi ;-)

(in reply to RPupkin)

Post #: 20

RE: Insidious - 30/5/2011 2:59:14 PM

ripperman

Posts: 135
Joined: 3/10/2007

Great little horror movie. Well worth a spin. Got to see it twice with a pretty hefty attendance at both and it was great fun. Surprised how well it held up on second viewing in fact. Best seen with plenty of others, squeamish preferably but audiences may be flagging for it at this stage. Genuinely like being in a theme park haunted house or something of that elk. I would say it just about manages to hold on for the last 15 minutes but it definitely wobbles. Had a real problem though with one very quick shot of the demon, when we see it through the magnifying glass thing near the end? It doesn�t look good at all. Rest of the creature effects are abstract flashes which I much preferred. The guy in the magnifying glass just looked like some dude with fuzzy hair and red make up�probably because it was some dude with fuzzy hair and red make up!!

Ultimately a good solid scare picture.

Post #: 21

RE: Insidious - 30/5/2011 5:52:06 PM

jrewing1000

Posts: 469
Joined: 23/11/2005

Probably the scariest film I've ever seen. Not my favourite horror - i think the Exorcist takes some beating in terms of an all round masterpiece, but as horror films go, this plays every trick in the book to absolute perfection. The guys know how to make you jump. And boy does it make you jump.

At times it veers dangerously close to silly, but you forgive it simply because it plays the genre card so well. You're having such a jolly time jumping out of your skin, like a roller coaster ride, you can't wait for the next loop the loop. You'll have a lot fun with this if you like scary movies.

Also, listen out for the greatest use of a string section you'll ever hear. (or never hear, if like me, you're squirming in your seat with your hands over your eyes and ears in pure terror!)

(in reply to ripperman)

Post #: 22

RE: Insidious - 31/5/2011 1:01:31 PM

jlbrooks008

Posts: 1
Joined: 31/5/2011
From: Utah

I really enjoyed watching this movie... one hell of a horror movie..

_____________________________

Jeanette Brooks
Adam Green

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 23

RE: Insidious Or How To Spoil A Terrifying Movie. - 1/6/2011 2:18:04 PM

Cruisecontroller

Posts: 4381
Joined: 28/4/2006

SPOILERS!

I can honestly say the first hour of this movie has the most terrifying scenes of a ghostly nature I`ve seen since I first saw The Shining. The movie in the first hour is that good and worth seeing for that alone. The shrill violin finger nails down the blackboard sounding soundtrack, the meanacing voice on the baby monitor, the horrifying ghostly face at the window of the nursery when Rosie Brynes character hears her babies screams and rushes into the room, the meanacing ghostly guy in the jacket that charges at her, the photographed Victorian girl ghosts and the demonic face behind her screen mum all utterley terrifying gasp out loud moments with a highly distrubing sound mix to match making it sound like the ghosts are behind you

After seeing all of that I could understand the ushers concern of me watching it not just without mates but also being the only one in an empty cinema so light relief was needed. This eventually came with two ghostbusters who I beleive were supposed to be funny and were in a good way with their geeky equipment and then a proper psychic. It wasn`t her explanation that their son had overdone the astral planeing in his sleep and was now stuck in some hellish astral plane called the further and his body was a magnet for every kind of spirit going that was silly I liked that premise. No things took a downward silly turn for the worst when she tried to contact the boy in somekind of unusual sceane wearing a ridculous gas mask with a nozzle attached to a pair of ear phones worn by one of her ghost busting pals so he could hear what the spirts were saying through her at a low decibal level. I just thought why did you have to go and spoil such a chilling movie by wearing that thing it completley undermined the film unless thats what psychics do in those circumstances?

Then things just got ridculous not when we found out the father did the same thing as a kid and had passed on his ablity to his son but when he had to astral plane himself to the further to get him back. This part could have been really scary but for me apart from a few jumpy moments this overlong segment was like watching someone walk through a badly done haunted house ride in a crap theme park with some unconvincing ghostly characters trying to get the boy or his dad. The ending was better and grim but I was just fustrated and surprised how such an unnerving ghost story for the most part could become so daft in the last 45 minute or so. If it hadn`t I`d have given it 5/5 but now I have to knock a star off and give it 4/5 for the excellent first hour. Unforgettable for all the right and wrong reasons.

Shouldn`t have been a 15 though it should have been 18 just because there isn`t much blood and gore doesn`t mean it isn`t as distrubing. Finally anyone know if psychics do sometimes wear gas masks as in the film to contact souls who they beleive are in astral planes?

< Message edited by Cruisecontroller -- 1/6/2011 5:15:05 PM >

_____________________________

MyDVDCollection.http://www.empireonline.com/myempire/mydvdcollection.asp?UID=49319

Last five movies seen & rated by me.

1. Star Trek: Into Darkness. 5/5
2. I`m So Excited. 3/5
3. Iron Man 3. 4/5
4. Olympus Has Fallen. 4/5
5. Oblivon. 3/5

(in reply to jlbrooks008)

Post #: 24

Horrificly bad - 8/7/2011 8:05:51 AM

Major Gaper

Posts: 13
Joined: 17/10/2005
From: Liege, Belgium

Total pap in every way. I was reminded of the haunted house attraction at Disneyland - though that is more fun than this woeful attempt at cheap scares (that don't work, by the way). I laughed when I was supposed to be scared. Ah well, perhaps one day a decent, scary horror will appear that adds that infinitely missing ingredient in horror attempts these days - dread.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 25

Enjoyably Creepy - 19/7/2011 12:09:35 AM

blaud

Posts: 722
Joined: 13/12/2007

After James Wan's previous venture into mild horror with the horrendously received 'Dead Silence', this project was named to be DOA by a lot of critics. Truth is, this is one of the most effective horror films of recent years, and for the most part, it isn't even scary. It's just seriously creepy. Nerve-jangling, eerie, and making superb use of sound design and music, Insidious is most definitely a full-blooded horror in every sense of the word. It's not gruesome, it's just purely psychological. When the mannequin-like characters in the world of the astral grin widely as they're posed like obscenely evil puppets, there is a very real feeling of fear, and it's rare to feel something like this in modern horror. However, when demons are introduced into the plot and nonsensical wallcrawlers and old women start appearing to try and shit us up, any good intentions go to fuck. Add to this the most diabolically stupid, and yet, totally unpredictable ending of a horror for a while, and it's clear that this isn't perfect. Despite this however, this is a sharp little supernatural chiller that's nice and taut, and always creepy. Also, for once, it's not based on a fucking Japanese film.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 26

Insidious: Review - 8/8/2011 2:15:53 AM

Edward9630

Posts: 63
Joined: 8/8/2011
From: Ireland

Insidious is a fantastic film. The story is enjoyable to learn, the actors did a great performance for their characters and the scares work in this film. When i heard the saw & paranormal activity producers were working on the film i had mix feelings about the film before i saw it but i was very impressed of what ive seen. There were two or three scenes that made me jump and i usually dont jump in horror films so this did a great job. Plus this is also a very creepy film. I would recommend to go see this film.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 27

does what it should - 16/9/2011 7:50:41 PM

lelandmeeks

Posts: 23
Joined: 16/6/2011

excellent film. It was a b movie horror that scares at every available opportunity. Subtle performances plus some very scary moments equals a great film. Plus done on a budget. Great box office return. Now that's great business.

(in reply to Empire Admin)

Post #: 28

RE: does what it should - 17/9/2011 3:46:15 PM

Goodfella

Posts: 15080
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: North Devon

Have I watched the same film as everyone else?

This was beyond disappointing, if this is what critics see as "one of the best horror films of the past decade" then I'm quite worried for the genre! It lacked anything regarding tension, the storyline was frankly comical and the 'twist' was unbelievably predictable. I'm watching 'Attack The Block' tonight, I reckon I'll get more chills from that. 1/5

_____________________________

"It is the Shawshank Redemption! Just with more tunneling through shit and less fucking redemption."

Last Film Watched: Flight ****

(in reply to lelandmeeks)

Post #: 29

RE: does what it should - 19/9/2011 7:15:57 PM

hampstead bandit

Posts: 374
Joined: 18/9/2009

I watched this last night with my missus and we were both jumping / quite on edge - especially the first half with the creepy kids, ghosts and daemons popping up

the second half with the astral projection was very interesting as I dabbled in this during my younger years with Gnostic Studies, and there is definitely some truth in what the film had to say about that side of things ;)

overall, a very effective horror film, and one of the most original I have seen for some time

amazing for a small budget of $1.5 million with a near $100 million take at box office!

4/5 from me

(in reply to Goodfella)

Post #: 30