Finally something that's actually scary!

Rating: 8/10 (13 May 2011)

Going into this film, I didn't set the bar very high. I was expecting the same predictable horror junk thats been playing in theaters for a long time. Everyone knows what I mean; unnecessarily graphic scenes, bad music, underdeveloped characters, etc. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Insidious. This movie is a serious improvement from the filmmakers' previous work, (Paranormal Activity, Saw)which I found very dull. Insidious has all the good elements of classic horror; characters that the viewers sympathize with, dramatic music, and a build up of tension that will make your skin crawl. The plot is engaging and reaches its climax with out dragging. I was also very happy that the script was not cheesy, but rather quite real. The entities that are shown in the film are creepy without being ridiculous, and are also not shown too often. The best movie to compare Insidious to is of course Poltergeist. While the plots concern the same issues, Insidious has a more believable story and a darker edge to it.
My only complaint is the very end of the film, which is written almost as if the creators are hinting at a sequel (shudder). The heroic (but very human) father saves the day, only to be corrupted by an evil spirit. I found myself wishing that the family could have a happier ending after all the crap they've been through. Overall, Insidious is a great suspense film- and the only one that scared me in the last ten years.