Decent but not flawless

Rating: 7/10 (17 June 2014)

Even though this movie came out in 2010, the first collaboration I saw between director James Wan and actor Patrick Wilson was 2013's THE CONJURING. They worked together on INSIDIOUS, and this movie carries some similarities in story. As an audience member, I appreciate how James Wan captures and maintains the flavor of normal people being attacked by evil intending, supernatural forces. Seeing Leigh Whannell's name in the opening credits is always a bonus for me, as I have appreciated all of his work in the horror genre since he first put SAW on the map back in 2004.
In INSIDIOUS, we are introduced to Josh and Renai Lambert and their three children, adjusting to their move into a new house. Their oldest son Dalton inexplicably falls into a coma which doctors cannot accurately diagnose, and then we are slowly given the explanation as to what has really happened to Dalton. The story further unfolds as we are told, and then see firsthand, what it will take to bring Dalton back.
I got a good scare out of this movie, but found the plot development to be a little slow in the beginning. Also, the character of Elise, the older woman who serves as a conduit between the living and the spirits that travel the netherworld, came on suddenly as too intense and one dimensional. But overall those are small complaints in what was otherwise a solid scary movie.