Review by Kevin ·
Synopsis
The sixth entry in the saga steps away from the beaten path of easy scares to dig into a human cult that learned to exploit the astral plane for its own gain. A new protagonist gets caught between both worlds and has to figure out the rules of the Further before the cult finishes what it started.
Analysis
I'll be honest: I didn't have faith in it. The last two Insidious movies felt pretty average, and a sixth film sounded like stretching the saga for cash. We went in anyway, and to my surprise it turned out to be fairly decent. The best part is that it eases up on the loud jump scares and focuses on building atmosphere: it manages to feel scary again thanks to solid camera work and tense sound design, the kind that makes you scan the edges of the frame. The parts exploring the astral plane get creative, and there's a pretty nasty dentist sequence that's really well done. On top of that, they expand the lore by bringing in a human cult that uses the Further for its own benefit, giving the film a more grounded conflict with clear motives, instead of the typical ugly-monster-because-why-not routine.
Performances
Lin Shaye delivers as always and holds the saga's continuity together without feeling like filler. The lead actress is very good — you buy it when she panics and when she decides to stand her ground. The group of old cult members makes quite an impression: they're the kind of characters who are scarier for what they imply than for what they actually do.
Final Verdict
2.5 skulls. It's not a masterpiece and it doesn't revolutionize anything, and it's got plenty of script problems, but for how battered this saga was, it's watchable. It sits right in the middle: you won't hate it, but you won't recommend it with much enthusiasm either.
Final score
2.5/5 skulls
