Written by Leigh Whannell and directed by James Wan, the 2010 horror movie Insidious is one of the most memorable of the past decade or so. While some of the sequels pale in comparison, the original features strong performances from Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson as married couple Renai and Josh Lambert. They have just moved into a new house with their young family and realize that something is amiss.
Insidious was incredibly profitable, grossing over $99 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo. The movie isn't the most beloved by audiences and critics, but it's generally thought to be a fun and fairly scary story about a haunted house. The Insidious ending sticks with people and sets up the rest of the franchise well.
What Is Insidious About?
Insidious tells the story of Renai and Josh Lambert who live in a haunted house. Ever since the movie was released in 2010, it has been considered one of the best haunted house horror movies because of its strong tension, dread, and atmosphere. While the couple wants to raise their three children Cali, Foster, and Dalton there and thinks that it will be a fresh and happy start for the family, their hopes are dashed when Dalton finds a demon in the attic. Dalton is then in a coma as a result, which is of course shocking and terrifying for his parents.
Insidious follows Renai and Josh as they try to figure out what's going on in their new house and what has happened to Dalton. Josh's mother Lorraine Lambert (Barbara Hersey) asks Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), a paranormal expert, to come over and see what she can do. This results in Josh realizing that he has been seeing an entity named The Red-Faced Demon since he was young and he has known Elise since then as well.
Insidious is one of the most popular Blumhouse horror franchises and for many, it's one of the most unsettling. The Red-Face Demon is one of the most effective villains in the genre. Insidious features one of the most well-known jump scares ever as the demon pops out behind Josh. It's a great example of how intelligent a jump scare can be. Josh had no clue what was coming and as he realizes that he has always been followed by this demon, he understandably becomes even more terrified. Josh is a great character and audiences can really see themselves in him.
It's true that the first movie in the Insidious franchise is the best one. It sets up the universe and shares Josh's childhood trauma. It also shows that this Blumhouse horror movie has a lot of heart. While Insidious is full of jump scares and genuinely unsettling imagery, the family really cares about each other. Josh and Renai love their children but Josh's mother is also very caring. And The Red-Faced Demon is one of the best Blumhouse horror villains.
How Does The First Insidious Movie End?
The first Insidious movie has a shocking ending that ties the whole story together and also sets up the rest of the horror franchise. When Elise helps Josh and he can enter another dimension and connect with his son Dalton, The Red-Faced Demon runs after the two characters. The ghosts of The Further come into the actual world, which is one of the most unsettling scenes of the whole movie.
When Josh sees the woman who he has been afraid of since childhood, he tries to deal with her head-on, and this bravery allows Dalton and Josh to get back home. However, the woman's spirit has now taken over Josh. Elise finds this out by taking a picture of Josh and being horrified when Josh hurts her. The final image of Insidious sees Josh appearing right behind his wife Renai, who appears terrified.
Insidious is more of a traditional supernatural story than an example of a elevated horror movie. However, it does deal with serious themes, like childhood trauma and how long someone can live in fear.
Is There A New Insidious Movie Coming Out?
The fifth movie in the Insidious horror franchise, Insidious: The Red Door, will be released on July 7th, 2023. Patrick Wilson will direct this installment, which features a time jump of a decade.
This time, Dalton (Ty Simpkins) is all grown up and ready for college. But as fans might expect, Dalton is unable to have a fun and happy time at college because the demons that have been chasing him and his family find him at school, too. The movie will see Dalton and Josh working together to save themselves, which adds a heartwarming element to the terrifying franchise.
While the long-running Scream franchise will always be a fan-favorite, Insidious is also very popular. It will be fun to see what happens when the franchise's evil spirits end up in the new location of college.