Insidious: Out of the Further
review by Bobby Blakey
Before bringing us the Conjuring Universe, the team that brought us SAW, James Wan and Leigh Whannell brought the world Insidious. After its success in 2010 it spawned four sequels with one serving as a prequel and the last entry seeming to be its last or so we thought. Now the series is back in a new direction with Insidious: Out of the Further starring Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea and the return of Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier with Come Play director Jacob Chase at the helm. Could this latest chapter be worthy of stepping out of the further or should it have stayed behind the red door?
Insidious: Out of the Further follows Gemma, a young mother raising her daughter in the house she grew up in who discovers she can travel into The Further, the purgatorial realm of lost souls at the heart of the Insidious Universe. When something evil comes after her, Gemma discovers an ability that changes everything: she doesn’t just enter The Further, she can bring what lives there back to the real world. Once the demons realize her power, our world becomes their playground.
The last film brought the story of the Lambert’s to a close and already got prequels telling us of Elise’s story so what more could they have to tell us this time around. The choice to dive into an all-new direction and family is a risky decision, but one that pays off as a good entry to the franchise that harkens back to the tone of the original in a lot of ways. They make mention of the previous films, but it doesn’t hinge on that story and takes us to new places while still throwing in some nods to the other films.
The story wastes no time getting right into chaos and terror setting up both the history and the present story all at once. It’s a simple set up that works well and then takes us on a roller coaster journey in and out of the Further at breakneck speeds while keeping you guessing to how its going
to all play out. They lean into some great visuals and jump scares as they build the tension to give it that old school feels and works at every turn. They do take things in new directions that get a bit more supernatural feel that might not work for some, but I feel like it brings new options for the franchise should it continue.
The trailer lets you know that evil spirits are coming out of the Further and into the real world, but it doesn’t play out exactly how you may think, and I think worked better to throw off expectations while letting you know where its heading. Those that aren’t big fans of the dentist be warned as this film will not do anything to assist with those fears and instead plays into it in some fun crazy ways. The anchor to this franchise has always been Elise and Lin Shaye steps right back in with a big role once again like she never left. I truly believe the franchise needs her in every entry and has done a good job of using her and her connections to the Further. She has become more than just the psychic fighting them, but also a guide for the audience to bring it all together without dumbing it down.
There are some pacing issues here and there and the big swings might not work for some as mentioned, but I really dug it and think it brought some fresh life to the franchise. Will we get more chances to return to the Further? If the box office demands it of course, we will, but either way this one work well enough as a standalone new story. There is a mid-credit scene that isn’t so much showcasing more to come, but more the world of the Further itself and its constant change and turning on itself.
Decide for yourself and check out Insidious: Out of the Further in theaters now from Sony.
