Insidious: The Red Door

Directed by Patrick Wilson, Insidious: The Red Door picks up nine years after the events of Insidious: Chapter 2 and follows Wilson’s Josh Lambert as he and his estranged son (Ty Simpkins’ Dalton) begin experiencing spooky happenings. First-time filmmaker Wilson, working from a script by Scott Teems, admittedly does a terrific job of initially luring the viewer into the increasingly underwhelming proceedings, as Insidious: The Red Door opens with a thoroughly promising opening stretch that’s enhanced by its solid performances and Wilson’s stylish visual choices – with the latter particularly true of a fantastic shot involving Josh and a slowly-appearing figure behind him. And while the picture has been peppered with a handful of admittedly eerie interludes and episodes, including (and especially) Josh’s creepy exploits within an MRI machine, Insidious: The Red Door progresses into a meandering, momentum-free midsection that generally emphasizes cheap shocks over dread and tension – with the arms-length vibe compounded by a narrative that grows more and more difficult to comfortably follow. By the time the underwhelming and far-from-satisfying climax rolls around, Insidious: The Red Door has cemented its place as a thoroughly disappointing horror sequel that squanders several promising attributes.

*1/2 out of ****