Insidious: Chapter 3

Intense jump-scares from the crew that does them best. Blum House is to horror flicks what Pixar is to animated movies. The climax, however, is rather weak and the plot, including every single scene, just recycles what we’ve seen before. That’s why this is the weakest installment of the trilogy. (21/06/2015)

Solidly made, but this time unfortunately it’s an utterly uninteresting safe bet. The first one laid down the rules and introduced us to the Further and the second one expanded the story in an interesting way, but the third instalment just follows the path set by the trend in ghost/exorcism movies and doesn’t have anything that I didn’t already see in the previous two episodes, and better. For Whannell’s standards, the script this time is woefully unoriginal and unsurprising. Lin Shaye is still great, but she alone is not enough for a higher rating, especially if she lacks the support of the other stars, who unfortunately deliver weak performances. The demon is also great, but we don’t get to know much about it. The film is chock full of jump-scares – unfortunately, I must add, because they always erase any signs of an atmosphere. And the worst is that they go nowhere, the demon shows up, says Boo! and then leaves. Throughout the film I never felt that the heroes were in any sort of danger, that the creators will really let the demon kill them. A barking dog doesn’t bite. That’s probably the biggest complaint for a horror movie. (05/06/2015)

I must admit that I had expected a loose but very similar sequel to the first two parts of Insidious. But it never occurred to me that I might be getting a film that knowingly pokes fun of all those monsters, demons and nightmares. It’s as if the movie took the Insidious name only to make fun of it and it got away with it without any problems. On the other hand, I was saying to myself whether I should cry about those illogical plot holes or whether I should simply enjoy scene after scene. You see once two guys with the punk image of ghostbusters burst into the teen horror halfway through, the movie gains a whole new unique dimension. On top of that, the technical side of the film isn’t actually too bad. All in all, this is a film that you can’t take seriously and that’s how you have to approach it. (17/10/2016)

Well made, but no more than that. Where the first movie was innovative and the second was interesting in terms of story, the third one is routine and repetitive. Whannell honours Wan's work and manages to produce a satisfying amount of effective jump scares, but he rather overdoes it in the climax, and the final exorcism of is a recyclate of the shoddiest nature. Does it matter that it's nice to look at and that the cinematographer, director and composer all deserve praise when they have contributed to a film that nobody needed to see, given its predecessors? 65% for the intention and the honesty. (28/07/2015)

So, no mercy this time. A movie I'd like to punch. If I clap in your face, you'll jump. Even if you know I'm gonna do it, you'll jump because you'll never know the exact moment I do it. Insidious claps about ten times like that, and that's its sole ambition. Everything else – the story, the characters, the setting – is subordinate to that. The camera pans to something, something screams into it, and the heretofore voiceless orchestra makes a KABOOM sixty decibels higher than the loudest sound in the movie so far. Just to make you twitch and then relax and laugh at yourself again. I never used to understand why anyone would voluntarily seek this out for money. Now, after all the Conjuring and Insidious stuff I've seen that has stolen cinema-space from any horror innovations and different approaches and yet always earns ten times its budget, I'm bitterly convinced that only a moron can go to the cinema for money to see this. (23/09/2015)

"I have to say that horror movies of this type are truly best enjoyed in the cinema, preferably with as many people as possible. Even the way the film affects you is an experience in itself. Leigh Whannell is repeating himself a bit, but as a director, he is skillful enough to balance the horror moments and the more entertaining parts, which are more towards the end this time. Thanks to knowing the previous movies, you might enjoy the third installment a bit more, but as a horror film, it will still have a great impact on those who don't know the series at all. It's also a great start for newcomers to watch." (10/06/2015)