The Insidious films seem to be made almost faster than the average moviegoer has time to forget the previous one. At this point, you could almost imagine that there is some kind of supernatural production line in The Further, automatically churning out a new movie every few years. Yet, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The franchise surprisingly often manages to deliver something that is more enjoyable to watch than the average genre movie.
Insidious: Out of the Further makes fairly good use of that strength. It doesn't exactly reinvent the franchise, but it does feel like a decent and occasionally refreshing continuation of the familiar horror series.
Insidious: Out of the Further Delivers a Strong Horror Atmosphere
One of the film's biggest strengths is that Insidious: Out of the Further understands what horror should feel like. The movie looks good and makes effective use of darkness, unsettling locations and the uncomfortable feeling that something could suddenly appear on screen.
A particularly smart choice is having part of the movie take place in a dentist's office. A place where you normally go to have your teeth checked is turned into a location that feels considerably less pleasant. And honestly, that isn't even much of a challenge. For many people, a dentist's office is already something of a nightmare.
The film gets quite a bit of horror mileage out of the setting. Not every scare works equally well, but there are definitely some moments that catch you off guard or genuinely make you jump.
A Refreshing Continuation of the Insidious Franchise
After several movies, one of the biggest dangers for a franchise like Insidious is that everything starts to feel increasingly familiar. Out of the Further doesn't completely avoid that problem, but it does introduce enough new elements to remain interesting.
The movie therefore doesn't simply feel like a repeat of the previous installments. The familiar ingredients are obviously still there, but the way they are used gives the film enough of its own identity to stand on its feet.
That may not sound like a spectacular achievement, but considering how many movies the franchise has produced by now, it is nice to see that there is still some creativity left.
The Story and Characters Aren't Always Convincing
Where the film is somewhat less successful is its story. The way certain events unfold and the decisions some of the characters make don't always feel particularly realistic. At times, it seems as though the characters are simply doing whatever the screenplay needs them to do at that particular moment.
This occasionally makes it difficult to fully connect with the characters. You understand why they are scared, but at the same time you may find yourself wondering why they would make that particular decision in the first place.
The acting itself is perfectly fine, though. The cast delivers the emotions reasonably convincingly, so the problem isn't really the performances. It is mainly the choices the characters are given that don't always feel natural.
Cyrus Lam Isn't Quite Scary Enough
Another area where Insidious: Out of the Further falls a little short is the character of Cyrus Lam. He is interesting enough to provide the movie with an antagonist, but ultimately he feels just a little too human to be a truly effective villain in an Insidious movie.
That wouldn't necessarily be a problem in every horror film, but with Insidious, you expect the supernatural threat to feel like something beyond the ordinary. Cyrus Lam therefore lacks some of that mysterious and disturbing quality that can make a horror villain genuinely frightening.
He certainly isn't a terrible antagonist, but he simply doesn't inspire the same level of fear as some of the more supernatural threats seen throughout the franchise.
More Scary Than Suspenseful
Perhaps the best way to describe Insidious: Out of the Further is that it is primarily scary, rather than genuinely suspenseful.
That distinction matters. The movie contains enough effective horror moments and has a strong atmosphere to work reasonably well. At the same time, the story never becomes so gripping that you are constantly sitting on the edge of your seat.
The tension therefore comes mostly from individual scenes rather than from the larger story. You keep watching because you want to see what happens next, but it is mainly the horror itself that keeps the movie going.
Insidious: Out of the Further Review – Conclusion
Insidious: Out of the Further isn't going to turn the horror genre upside down. The story is too conventional for that, and some of the characters' decisions are simply not convincing enough. The main villain could also have been considerably scarier and more supernatural.
There is still plenty to enjoy, though. The movie has a strong horror atmosphere, looks good and contains some genuinely effective scares. The dentist's office setting is also a nice touch, adding an extra layer of discomfort to several scenes.
Ultimately, Insidious: Out of the Further is a movie that is more scary than suspenseful or gripping. In this case, however, that is enough to make it perfectly watchable. In fact, it makes the film just a little better than the average genre movie and, for me, also somewhat more enjoyable than some of the Insidious installments released in recent years.
It may not be a new classic for the franchise, but it is a solid horror sequel that earns its 7/10 fairly convincingly.
Rating: 7/10
