A gripping sequel which matches its equally impressive predecessor.

Rating: 8/10 (14 September 2013)

****Contains only minor spoilers - the plot is not revealed here.******
NOTE: Despite the 15 rating, I saw 3 children around that age leave towards the end so it may be worth bearing in mind if you're thinking of taking the family!
After just watching the sequel to the 2010 film Insidious, I would highly recommend anybody who was a fan or interested in the first film should get off their backsides and rush to the cinema ASAP. The ending suggests there will be a 3rd film in the near future and I have absolute faith that this franchise will know when to stop for the sake of quality film production.
Patrick Wilson continues his fantastic run of horror film roles in Insidious: Chapter 2. He plays the role of a man struck by an unexplainable dilemma in a superb fashion, even channeling shades of Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining when his possession appears to be in full force. Rose Byrne also plays the role of the mother to a tee once again with a seemingly natural display of a mother who is watching her life be toyed with.
The jumpy moments and scary scenes are in full force and perfect positioning. As a man who is rarely scared by most horror films, and found the first Insidious to be mildly terrifying, I will assure you that this film had me briefly toying with the idea of leaving out of anticipation for a real fright. I'm so glad I stuck firmly to my seat! Despite the real horror elements, there is a good plot and general explanation for why everything takes place in the film. Any questions are tied up and are not merely thrown in whenever is convenient for the director. There are brief comedic moments,featuring the two assistants to the medium in the first film, as well as a cleverly placed reunion scene towards the film's conclusion.
In short, this is a film which went against the stereotype that quality horror movies generally fail to answer with an equally impressive sequel. It has great actors, great special effects and a gripping plot which had me hooked from start to finish. I would strongly support that any fan of high quality, slow-burning horrors/thrillers should ensure they see this movie in cinemas or when it is released on DVD.