Rated PG-13 for thematic material, violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Ty Simpkins
Directed by James Wan (Death Sentence and Saw)
Insidious means intended to entrap or beguile… and I’m feeling pretty beguiled right about now.
This horror film is the terrifying story of a family who shortly after moving discover that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to discover that it was not their house that was haunted.
I’m going to get one big negative out of the way, Insidious is basically The Exorcist minus God. By that I mean, this movie is about a boy who is being hunted by an insidious demon and the spiritual advisor is more like Oprah than Father Merrin. In fact the only time God or Jesus is mentioned is when the characters are using His name in vain.
That being said… and by that I mean, once you get over that huge hurdle, it’s actually a pretty scary movie. OK, it’s a really scary movie. So let’s talk about what they did right.
The cast is pretty decent. Both Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are good in their roles as the parents with different reactions to what is happening. Rose is absolutely certain their house is haunted but Patrick is more a doubter. They play these roles perfectly, keeping us sympathetic – mostly because neither one plays it over the top.
Another good trick is the camera work. It’s a perfect blend of hand-held (ala Paranormal Activity) and steady shots. This camera work keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen next… that and the creepy music. There are also some REALLY great “jump off the sofa” moments. You know what I’m talking about— that tried and true horror movie gimmick that causes you to jump and spill your popcorn all over the place.
Finally there is the story. I’m not going to give too much away, but I will say this, (removing the whole “minus God’ part) it was a fresh take on the horror/possession/haunting genre. There are a few predictable moments, but I think it will keep you guessing until the very last scene.
It’s rare that I rate a horror movie higher than a “Skip it,” but this one was worth at least picking it up at Blockbuster or Red Box.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
I’m thinking I’m going to sleep with the lights on tonight… so no I would definitely not let my kids see it.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: In the film, Dalton slips into a coma like state and when the expert comes to meet with the family, she reveals that the only way to save him is for Josh to slip into the same trace like state and enter “The Further.” It’s a place where souls are tormented and the possibility exists that Josh will not come back. In its simplest form, it’s about a dad willing to sacrifice himself to rescue his son.
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: Read John 15:13 – There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Sometimes that verse means that we will literally lay down our lives. But chances are pretty slim you will ever be placed in that situation. However, there are plenty of times when we need to lay down our plans, preferences or agendas.
Talk about a time when you were asked to sacrifice doing something you wanted to do to make a friend happy.
Talk about a time when a friend did that for you.
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: The reality is we are all selfish. And laying down our lives (in any form) for someone else is a difficult thing to do. So what is one thing you can do this week to be a better friend?
What area in your life needs to be less selfish?
