Film Review: 'Insidious: Chapter 2', With no new tricks to impress us it isn't as scary as its previous effort

Cast: Andrew Astor, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Leigh Whannell, Lin Shaye, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Steve Coulter, Ty Simpkins

Director: James Wan

Rating: **

What's it about 

Picking up from where he left the first chapter in 2011's Insidious, James Wan who delivered the sleeper hit of the year The Conjuring returns with a back story to the tale of a couple troubled by spirits who want to kill their family. Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson play the husband-wife who have rescued their son from the clutches of a demon, unfortunately they paid a price for it! Wilson’s character Josh starts acting up as the demon starts digging into his past taking the story on a seemingly predictable path.

What's hot

The camera work and background score help in making the proceedings beyond just spooky. The lead pair of Wilson and Byrne do a fantastic job with the former becoming a favourite of the director. Barbara Hershey who plays Wilson’s mom in the film is terrific as well.  Those familiar with Wan’s style of film making and storytelling will be in for a treat. He takes all those elements that worked in the first part and laces them up with a strong story line.

What's not 

The second chapter is hugely flawed and the culprit here is the sense of comfort and laziness that seems to have set with the writers. There is nothing extraordinarily unexpected that is given to us. Most of the scare moments come when they are meant to, unlike the prequel which took us into the minds of the parents who truly cared for the return of their son. This time around the plot seems too contrived and tailor made to cash in on the franchise.

What to do 

With no new tricks to impress us with, Insidious: Chapter 2 isn’t as scary as its previous effort.