About 7 years ago, I went to see Saw in the cinema and was blown away by the creative imagination of Leigh Whannell and the superb direction of James Wan. Although there can be no doubt that the franchise had decended into farce by the fourth inslament, I still regard the first Saw film as one of the best thrillers of the last 10 years and a terrific piece of writing by a young Australian who was virtually unheard of up to that point. Last year I went to see Paranormal Activity and once again I was thoroughally entertained by Oren Peli's chilling tale of a young couple whose lives are turned upside down by demons. When I see a film that entertains me to the extent that Saw and Paranormal Activity have, I take note. Therefore, when I saw that the creaters of both films had teamed up to make a horror movie set to terrify cinema goers everywhere, it was a no brainer. I simply had to see it!!
Insidious is a horror movie that tells the story of (Renai and Josh Lambert, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) a young couple who have recently moved into a new home with their two sons who have just moved to a new neighbourhood with their three children. In the opening scenes we can see that Dalton, the younger son is struggling to settle in this new environment and complains about being scared of his new room. In the early part of the film it is not completely clear why Dalton is frightened but it is obvious that there is a suggestion that paranormal forces are at play. This becomes apparent when his mother puts some books on his shelf and later discovers that they are on the floor. When she confronts him about it, he claims that he did not move them. This odd behaviour is a sign of things to come as Dalton appears distant and not himself. The situation comes to a head when the young boy falls into a coma that doctors are unable to explain. It later comes to light that Dawson is in fact possessed by a demon and this demon is set to wreak havoc with the lives of the Lambert family. As the couple become more and more terrified by events at their own home, they eventually employ the services of a professional in paranormal activity (Lin Shaye). With her help, the family set about trying to rid themselves of this terrible curse.
This is a true horror film. I must admit that I am inclined to prejudge films of this nature, generally expecting little in the way of originality. But in this case, I was more than entertained. Leigh Whannel and Oren Peli combine to create a true horror film that will live long in the memory for its chilling storyline and thrilling ending. A great bit of writing and direction from 2 of Hollywoods most exciting writers and directors.
Definately a must see for horror enthusiasts.
