If you grew up watching classic horror flicks such as, “The Shining”, “The Exorcist”, and “Psycho”, you remember the thrills and chills you felt while watching. Not knowing where, and when, the next scary scene would pop up, kept you on the edge of your seat. Since that time, horror films seemed to go on a downward spiral, portraying more bloody gore than eerie suspense. So when I went to see “Insidious” on its opening night, April 1, 2011, I was expecting another gory mess. I have to admit it premiered on an appropriate day because I was pleasantly April fooled. This is why I nominate it as the best film of 2011.
“Insidious” is a creepy story of a family haunted by an evil presence in the house. When their 8-year old son, Dalton, falls into a mysterious “coma”, it seems as if one paranormal event begins to happen one after the other. From unexplainable demonic voices around the house, to horrifying ghostly appearances, the frights begin to intensify. When a team of paranormal investigators diagnose Dalton with the ability to astral project (one’s spiritual self separates from its physical body), they discover that he really isn’t in a coma at all. The second half of the movie is spent trying to bring Dalton’s spirit back before he’s gone forever. This sounds less terrifying than it really is, because helping Dalton isn’t easy. Dalton’s father uses his own astral projection ability to try and save his boy before it is too late but he must get past one of the creepiest red-faced demons we have seen, quite possibly, in the history of horror films.
I refuse to spoil some of the best parts of this movie because it is one of those that you need to see for yourself. Let me just warn you, we are not talking about cheap scares here. “Insidious” is akin to classic haunted house stories, complete with bumps in the night and terrifying images. It will leave you sleeping with the lights on for at least a week and taking a second glance at those dark corners of your home. There are a couple of scenes that are so cleverly done by the director that you may not even notice them until seeing the movie for a second time. There’s one in particular that definitely caught me by surprise. Again, I do not want to spoil the movie for those of you who still haven’t seen the movie but I will just say that it involves a little boy and a coat rack. Okay, that’s all I am going to give you. See if you can spot this very subtle scare.
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, luckily for you, it is already on DVD. It is definitely worth the investment because I can guarantee that you will want to watch it again and again. Just a little word of advice, you may want to watch it with a friend. Even the bravest horror movie fan is guaranteed to jump in their seat at least once. Just remember that I warned you. Enjoy!