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Movie Review: Insidious: Chapter 2

Insidious: Chapter 2

Still on a high from the successes of “The Conjuring” and “Insidious,” director James Wan released “Insidious: Chapter 2”, a sequel that couldn’t quite match up with its predecessor. Despite the effective cast that adds a creep factor, the film is sluggish and loaded with cliché scare tactics.

The plot picks up with the Lambert family together again after son Dalton was rescued from a demon in the first movie. But Josh (Patrick Wilson), the father, isn’t himself and it is soon discovered that a spirit has taken over his body. Typical scare attempts follow, including a piano playing by itself, a toy turning on and slamming doors.

After exhausting the go-to scares, the story actually starts to develop. Finally, the audience gets some insight into the paranormal realm and the spirits causing all the chaos with the help of the deceased psychic from the first movie, Elise.

The “Insidious” sequel’s strength is its “Criminal Minds”-like dive into the backstory and psyche of Parker Crane, a mass-murderer and possessor of Josh’s body. Though intriguing, the journey into Crane’s psyche is too brief and undeveloped to add much substance.

Specs and Tucker, Elise’s colleagues, add the much needed action and comic relief. Though the action is regrettably limited, the two men’s comedy keeps viewers’ attention during their scenes.

At the film’s conclusion, Wan clearly indicates that the story isn’t over yet and there will be a third “Insidious,” which will hopefully follow more closely in the footsteps of the original.

Overall, “Insidious: Chapter 2” has some interesting plot developments and a couple of scary moments, but it is not nightmare-inducing and hardly encourages viewers to stay tuned for act three.

Amanda Hayes

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