Terrifying and interesting

Rating: 9/10 (29 November 2015)

Insidious is the kind of film that gives me hope for the horror genre. This film at least lets me know that there is still potential for horror movies to be well made, have original ideas, and most importantly, be scary.
One thing I enjoyed about this movie is the score. A really talented group of sound designers worked on this film and it really shows. From the bright, flashy title card, to the music cue set whenever something scary happens. This score has already become classic and several other movies have utilized this same kind of score, leading me to believe that this movie had significant influence on the horror genre.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this movie is the quality of scares. This movie really has a good idea of how to set up suspense and payoff. The demon in this film is good too, even though many make fun of his uncanny resemblance to Darth Maul. The way they present him is fantastic. Playing "tip-toe through the tulips" along with keeping him in the shadows for the majority, it's all very scary. The rest of the ghosts in this movie are cool too. This movie really isn't afraid to show you what's supposed to scare you, which I give it huge props for. Director James Wan has shown in the past that he knows how to present the scares well and it clearly shows in this flick.
The acting in this film is good. Patrick Wilson always does a pretty decent job, and he does so once again as the lead Josh. I'm always a fan of Rose Byrne and she does a great job here, showing her diversity as an actress. I really enjoyed the two nerdy guys too, Specs and Tucker. Their comic relief kind of comes out of nowhere and isn't really necessary but I enjoyed it none the less. The rest of them are O.K. Lin Shaye I find to be a little hokey at times but it's very passable. The child actor is pretty bad, but what can you really expect?
The plot of this movie might be it's best aspect however. I love the idea of the further and astral projection is something that isn't touched upon very often in films so that's really cool. The idea of going into a realm, the further, that is filled with troubled spirits is really great and offers some great tension. The last third is where I find the most problems with the film though. The scene where Josh fights the Demon in front of the red door is stupid. The fact that he can defeat this thing just because he's the one alive is just silly. If that's the case then why can the main demon kick our main hero's ass without a problem? The other thing I really didn't like also involves the main demon. It's shown throughout the whole movie that this thing is super powerful. And the further is a plain of reality where this demon can move to wherever his wants, this is demonstrated when the demon seemingly teleports behind Josh in his lair. But this demon, multiple times, let's the kid escape when he could easily catch him. The suspension of disbelief is shattered when the demon tries to grab him under his bed instead of just cornering him. Then the demon who is fast as hell is outran by a kid! It's just silly and it's the reason this movie isn't a 10/10.
In conclusion, This movie is awesome, this movie is sure to make you jump and make you turn on a few light after it's over. The scares are good, the music is brilliant, and the movie immerses you in a story you won't want to miss(and the ending is cool). Worth a watch, if you want to get scared.