Hello, horror movie lovers! I am a big fan of the Insidious movie series, so when the newest chapter released earlier this month, I WENT! So let’s talk scary.
INSIDIOUS: The Last Key
The fourth in the series, but the second in the story’s timeline, this horror film directed by Adam Robitel, written by Leigh Whannell, and produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli, and James Wan follows my favorite character Elise Rainier played by Lin Shaye as she faces the horrors of her past.
In Insidious: Chapter 3, Elise returns to using her gifts to help others and makes peace with the loss of her husband. She also connects with two paranormal investigators Specs, played by Leigh Whannell, and Tucker, played by Angus Sampson. Chapter 4 picks up with the trio heading off to investigate activity…but not any demon, one in Elise’s childhood home.
One she knows. One she set free.
We learn a lot about Elise’s past, her life in 1953. Her family, Mom, Dad, and younger brother. The abuse she suffered because of her differences. The fear she faced because of the spirits she encountered every day…that’s what happens when you live next to a prison where people are executed.
I loved this movie. I loved how Elise faced her fear, faced her past, and healed what remained of her family.
It’s creepy. It’s dark, with themes of abuse and possession. And introducing a new awesome demon, Key Face, looking to lock away not only a person, but their voice, their soul.
As much as I liked this movie, believe me I was hooked through the whole thing, I left feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Elise’s story felt finished, dealing with the terrors of her youth, finding what she needed to move on, I enjoyed the emotional journey of this wonderful character. Specs and Tucker were as always fabulously funny, adding touches of humor to this shadowed tale.
However, the story of the demon itself didn’t quite connect for me. Why was it there? Collecting souls…locking away voices and people…but why? Just because? Key Face was scary. I wouldn’t want to meet it anywhere, dark alley or sunlit beach. The keys on his fingers were such a neat, unique idea, but not fully realized. He only ever used one. Maybe he lived there because of the prison nearby, because of the death? Maybe some other reason. It possessed people, controls them, but why?
Basically, the movie focused on the emotional journey of Elise with a demon thrown in. Overall, that worked for me. I do tend to love the horror of what lurks in people’s minds, in their past. The movie would have been stronger if the demon linked into Elise’s story more. So Insidious: Chapter 3 remains my favorite of the series. But don’t get me wrong, I will watch chapter 4 again and again.
And it ties right into the first Insidious movie with a bang.
So, anyone else out there see Insidious: The Last Key? What did you think?