Creepy, Disturbing, Horror done right

Rating: Null/10 (10 October 2012)

Sinister, Scott Dickerson's horror follow up to the 2005 Exorcism of Emily Rose (turning a blind eye to the ill advised Day the Earth stood still remake) is a rare horror film in modern Hollywood. It manages to be scary. Anchored by a solid turn by Ethan Hawke and an old school approach to scares, Sinister is arguable one of the better horror films of the year if not the last few.
Early trailers for Sinister tended to highlight the found footage aspect of the film. It is admiring that the film has a much fresher approach to it. The story instead chooses to focus on the person who finds the footage. Ethan Hawke plays Ellison, a struggling true crime writer working on his latest book. He finds a box of disturbing Super 8 films in the attic of his new home and the movie focuses on the strange goings on surrounding this ''found footage''.
Why this film succeeds over other more recent Horror films is in the writing of Hawkes character. Having tasted fame a decade earlier Ellison has struggled to capture the success he once had. Facing financial ruin he moves his family into a new house which was once the scene of a horrific family murder. The idea is to get closer to the victims, write his best book yet, save his family from financial hardship and more importantly get back the fame he so desperately craves. It's the constant threat of financial hardship and Hawke's ego that makes him and his family remaining in the house all the more believable when things start to go bump in the night. Hawke is lucky to be blessed with a character that is a lot deeper than you would get in this type of film. He captures the stress and desperation of his situation perfectly. At times he can come across has arrogant but it's a testament to Hawke's performance that you are always rooting for him.
Scott Dickerson and co screen writer C. Robert Cargill has expertly crafted a horror film with very old school sensibilities. The action is set predominantly in the confines of the house and the photography coupled with an unnerving score provides a constant level of threat throughout. There are no quick edits to get scares, no flashy photography. The whole thing has a very 70's style feel to it. The film is grim and tense without ever reeling on gore or violence. The scares when they do come are well crafted. With the exception of one unnecessary jump scare near the beginning the film never seems to relay on cheap tricks in order to get goose bumps. The terror seems to be at a high level from the get go providing tension in scenes that might not be seeking it. In one particular scene, a heated exchange between Ellison and his wife. I found myself focusing on the background, constantly waiting for a figure to appear in the doorway, or from something strike. The use of the old super 8 footage is creepy in itself and I would suggest if you haven't seen the trailer to avoid has the less you see of them the better. Finally the villain of the piece is unnerving, well designed and used just sparingly enough that it is certain to leave an impression.
Sinister isn't flawless. Performances outside of Hawke's are more hit and miss. Juliet Rylance has Ellison's wife is given one or two scenes to shine but disappears for large chunks of the screen time. The same faith befalls his children in particular his son who only seems to appear in the house when something strange has to occur. After awhile he disappears altogether and there is never a sense that all these characters exist under the same roof. Some much need comedy moments arrive in the form of Deputy so and so who is used sparingly enough. Vincent Di Onofrio literally web cams it in a small role has an occult college professor.
Overall Sinister works, Sure, his family seem to be heavily sedated come night has they never seem to wake to any of the strange goings on. Sure Ellison seems to be very environmentally conscious has he insists on investing the strange goings on in his house without ever turning a light on. These are minor issues in a film that works so well. Sinister is creepy and disturbing and will stay with you long after the house lights come on. If you are looking for some genuine scares, you couldn't get any better than this.