Classic Movie Review: 'Insidious Chapter 2'

Insidious Chapter 2 (2013)

Directed by James Wan

Written by Leigh Whannell

Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Ty Simpkins

Release Date September 13th, 2013

Published July 8th, 2023

The first Insidious chapter was an impressively creepy movie for a PG-13 rated horror movie. The film achieved a solid atmosphere and via tremendous production design, makeup and practical effects, the film became a smash hit. And it deserved to be a hit, James Wan and Leigh Whannell had managed to create a wholly original horror movie at a time when franchises and familiar I.P remakes were the norm in Hollywood. It was a no-brainer that there would be an Insidious sequel but what no one could expect is how much of an improvement the sequel would be over the terrific original.

Insidious Chapter 2 picks up in the wake of the shock death of Lin Shaye's iconic and immediately beloved, Elise Rainer. The Lambert family is now living with Lorraine Lambert (Barbara Hershey), Josh's mom, in the wake of the horrors that led to their son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins), spending a year trapped in another realm called The Further. Josh (Patrick Wilson) had managed to save his son from this other realm but, as observed by his wife, Renai (Rose Byrne), Josh did not come back the same man he was. Instead, an unsteady, often volatile Josh stalks their home, only occasionally showing off the qualities that she loves about him.

The plot of Insidious Chapter 2 kicks into gear quickly with Lorraine realizing that her son is not the man she knows. Knowing something is very wrong, Lorraine seeks out Elise's team, Specks (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson), who are now at Elise's home. They've found a key piece of evidence that shows Josh may be trapped in The Further. With Elise gone, they need a new medium and Lorraine calls on another old friend, Carl (Steve Coulter), the man who initially connected Lorraine with Elise when Josh was a child and traveling dangerously into the further.

Via Carl we get the backstory of the person who has been stalking Josh all his life, The Black Bride, a vicious and very dangerous serial murderer. Is the Black Bride the entity who has possessed Josh? How will they find their way into The Further to find out? And how will Elise come back to help? These questions have solid answers that build brilliantly on what you already know from Insidious Chapter 1. Watching Insidious Chapter 2 it appears quite clear that James Wan and Leigh Whannell had a plan for a sequel all along as moments from the first film provide a perfect foundation for what we get in Chapter 2.

It's like a fun little game, recalling things that happened in Insidious Chapter 1 and seeing how they happened via Insidious Chapter 2. The seamless integration of the two films gives a little kick to the proceedings of Chapter 2. For me, auteurs are filmmakers for whom details matter. Meticulousness is a strong trait among our best film storytellers and James Wan, along with Leigh Whannell, are an auteurist team who care deeply about the minutia of their storytelling. They recognize the joy that can from having lore and how discovering lore can bond an audience with a story.

The Insidious movies are thick with lore but not so dense that they become incomprehensible to new audiences. It's a delicate balance, but one that Wan and Whannell achieve via studious attention to details that audiences can choose to follow closely or simply experience on a per thrill basis. You can either actively involve yourself in Insidious or simply enjoy the horror movie ride of the Insidious films without taking note of the layered and extensive lore. For me, I love the lore, I adore the attention to detail and the care with which the filmmakers take to build a community around the Insidious films.

I also love, love, love the work of Lin Shaye. It was clear in the original Insidious that she was the star of the movie and perhaps the biggest failure of Insidious Chapter 1 was not pivoting away from her ending in that movie. Shaye was the breakout character and the filmmakers recognized that going foward, especially when they bring her back here in Chapter 2 and go back to her in subsequent features, minus Wan, but with Whannell firmly shaping the lore.

Shaye has a relatively limited role to play in Insidious Chapter 2 but, when she arrives early in the 3rd act, it's a very welcome return indeed. That said, the movie wasn't completely hurting for her. The film smartly elevates the brilliant Barbara Hershey into a more prominent role while introducing Steve Coulter's Carl as an effective, if not spectacular, placeholder for Elise. Hershey is exceptional at getting the most out her screen time and Coulter carries himself with an appropriately haunted quality that fits perfectly within the context of the franchise.

Then, of course, there are Specks and Tucker. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson give life to a wonderful pair of characters who inject needed humor into an otherwise dour franchise. The Insidious movies would be oppressively grim without a sense of humor and Specks and Tucker provide just the right touch of goofiness to the proceedings. They may be gooftballs but they are good guys who are eager to help and throw themselves into action with often unexpected bravery. In a lesser framework, Specks and Tucker are broad caricatures of modern ghost hunters who die as a form of rote satire of modern ghost hunting. Wan and Whannell smartly pivot away from easy jokes at the expense of these character and instead, they take care tocraft these comic characters as earnest heroes who are easy to like and root for.

Insidious Chapter 2 is the best of the Insidious franchise. I have liked four of the five Insidious movies and Chapter 2 is the one I always go back to. The film kicks off quickly with a terrific, terrifically cast, flashback to Josh's childhood troubles and his first meeting with Elise, and then never slows down after picking up the important threads of the original and expanding upon them. The actors hired to play young Elise and young Lorraine are exceptional, even if the use of Lin Shaye's voice instead of that of the young actress playing her is a little.... off.

Little nitpicks aside, I love Insidious Chapter 2. I love Barbara Hershey and Lin Shaye getting incredible moments to shine and I love the lore of the Insidious franchise. I adore the neat little touches that Wan and Whannell bring to the lore. The tiny connections between moments in the original and moments in the sequel are fun to go looking for. Like I said, it's like having a little mini-game in the middle of all of the tension of demonic possession and the looming specters of death. Insidious Chapter 2 has great scares but it's also just a very satisfyingly well told story.

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