40. Insidious - The Last Key; movie review

INSIDIOUS - THE LAST KEY
Cert 15
103 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong horror, sustained threat

Over the past seven years, the Insidious franchise has represented the most exciting and the lamest of the horror genre.
In 2011, I was so impressed that I claimed the original was one of the movies of the year.
Two years later, I found its sequel dismally disappointing and yet its revival in the 2015 follow-up prompted me to leap from my seat.
This 2018 incarnation nods to the previous films but is still fresh enough to set the bar for the year's horror movies.
Adam Robitel's film stars Insidious regular Lin Shaye as Elise as the woman who has been cursed/blessed with the ability to contact the spirit world.
She and her 'sidekicks to the psychic' Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson) are called on a very special job - to the house where she grew up.
It turns out that Elise's childhood was far from happy - she lost her mother (Tessa Ferrer) when she was young and was beaten by a father (Josh Stewart) who did not understand her rare 'talent'.
This history is an important backdrop to her current investigation called by the property's current owner (Kirk Acevedo).
As usual, Shaye takes her role with aplomb - a reluctant conduit for evil, her character is, nevertheless, committed to banishing it.
Meanwhile, Whannell and Sampson add much-needed levity to brighten the darkness.
Actually, my most significant bugbear in screen 7 of Nottingham Cineworld on Monday night was not related to the film - it was the audience.
Even though I moved from my allotted seat to escape the chattering around me, four or five twenty somethings spoiled the atmosphere by being plain loud.
Thankfully, Insidious 4 was just about creepy enough for me to retain my attention.
However, it didn't leave me thirsty for Insidious 5 - partly because I know what sort of numpties it will attract.

Reasons to watch: The Insidious franchise is one of the most effective in the horror genre
Reasons to avoid: These films tend to attract the most annoying audiences

Laughs: none from me but a sprinkling from the rowdy audience
Jumps: four
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 7/10

Director quote - Adam Robitel: "I really wanted something iconic in terms of a demon, I always think of the Lipstick Demon or Man Who Can’t Breathe, I felt like an Insidious movie needed that, sort of the big bad."

The big question - Will there be an Insidious 5?

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