I remember watching the first Insidious (2010) film with my parents all those years ago and being fascinated by the concept of ‘astral projection’ in the story, it was something we hadn’t seen in any other horror movies before. And even though I haven’t seen any of the two other Insidious films that came out after 2013, the plot is still pretty fresh in my mind.
Directed by Patrick Wilson and written by Leigh Whannel and Scott Teems, the 2023 horror film “Insidious: The Red Door” revisits the Lambert family, who are attending the funeral of their matriarch. Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins reprise their original roles of father-son duo Josh Lambert and Dalton Lambert, who’ve inherited the ability to travel to another dark realm when they fall asleep. It’s a realm inhabited by demons and spirits that seek to possess their bodies and the family nearly died due to the sinister entities. It has been nine years since Josh and Dalton were hypnotized to erase the traumatic events. As a result, the duo not only doesn’t remember anything, but they are also estranged, with Josh having divorced his wife Renai (Rose Byrne). So, this sequel follows how the father tries to reconnect with his son, who is off to college, and things only get complicated as their suppressed memories begin to resurface, opening a door to the spirits that haunted them.
I liked how art plays a significant role in “Insidious: The Red Door.” Dalton is studying art in college, and it’s through his canvas that his demons attempt to crawl back into his life. Although there isn’t a lot of new material or twists in the story, Patrick Wilson and his team deliver some effective jump scares through the runtime. I watched this movie alone after dinner, while I was home alone, and one scene that completely startled me. The background music contributes significantly to building dread and creepiness in the story. However, the make-up for the supporting actors who portray the ghosts in the other realm was overdone, and they looked more like they were dressed for Halloween, than actual demons.
Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins deliver convincing performances as Josh and Dalton, portraying the tense relationship within a family, making the film a metaphor for generational trauma. There’s a scene in the second half, where Renai tells Josh how he’d get possessed try to hurt his own kids, and even though it wasn’t him, for the kids, ultimately it was their father who was putting them in danger. While there is much to unpack in terms of family relationships, these aspects are swiftly and conveniently resolved. Unfortunately, a significant amount of time is devoted to Dalton’s college experiences and friendships, leaving insufficient room for a well-crafted horror experience. So the climax feels underwhelming and the primary conflict is resolved in a jiffy.
Regardless, “Insidious: The Red Door” is a pretty good pick for horror fans.
You can stream the film on Netflix.
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