Derivative but Good

Rating: 7/10 (23 September 2013)

Psycho, Poltergeist, The Shining and Sleepaway Camp. I mentioned these films because Insidious: Chapter 2 heavily borrows elements from each of these classic horror films. That's not to say its a bad thing for this film since it helps in its favour. Yes its derivative but its an entertaining 2hr flick. The film picks up right where the first Insidious left off with the Lambert family supposedly surviving after getting their eldest son back from a supernatural dimension. All seems well until physic Elise (Lin Shaye) is soon murdered by what seems like dad Josh (Patrick Wilson) or by something Josh brought back from the otherworld. After an unbelievably brief police investigation Josh is free of suspicion for now and the family move in with Josh's mother (Barbara Hershey) but soon after more spirits menace the Lambert family once again. Most of the cast from the original return including the two dorky paranormal investigators played by writer Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson as well as a new physic played by Steve Coulter who first investigated Josh's supernatural occurrences as a kid and leads an investigation as who has come back with Josh from the otherworld. Good performances, story, visual and sounds effects and direction. Overall a decent sequel which I found as good if not better than the original which is rare in the horror genre.