Film: Insidious: The Last Key
Cast: Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Josh Stewart, Caitlin Gerard, Kirk Acevedo, Javier Botet, Bruce Davison, Spencer Locke, Tessa Ferrer, Ava Kolker, Marcus Henderson
Directed By: Adam Robitel
Rating: * * *
Adam Robitel ably directs this horror thriller from a hit franchise scripted by Leigh Saw Whannell – he wrote the trilogy and directed Chapter 3. Its adverts rely on the clout of producers, Jason Blum and Oren Peli (of Paranormal Activity). The fourth and latest chapter in the Insidious series is a prequel that focuses on the backstory of Dr Elise Rainier and delves into the reasons the fearless psychic embraced parapsychology and ghost hunting.
In The Last Key Dr Rainier returns to the house she grew up in; whose new tenant, Ted Garza (Kirk Acevedo) sends an SOS for help to deal with inexplicable occurrences. It is interesting that she refers to it as a house, not home. “I don’t have memories of that place,” the aged Elise says. “I have scars.”
The story opens in typical horror style in a gloomy setting, a state penitentiary named 5 Keys. In what seems to be a regular household on the grounds, a young housewife prepares dinner while her husband watches TV: Stalin is on the news. Of the two kids, one – Elise – has special abilities. As she puts it, “I just know it in my head… that a murderer who killed women with a hammer has died. And where do they go after death? They go in the dark”.
Appropriately atmospheric with jump scares featuring demonic entities (avoid them by simply averting your eyes) Insidious – The Final Key gets weighed down by weakness in plot and character.
A single torch for two poltergeist-busters Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson)? A precocious psychic who can detect “so many spirits in this house (they’re) hard to tell good from evil.”
The entire house may be infested with demons, but a whistle is the go-to implement for help. Not prayers mind you. Not even the crucifix nailed on the wall is employed for spiritual warfare.
Even so, it’s good to see the feisty old lady in strong spirits, despite a difficult childhood in which her nasty father who didn’t understand her special gift, tried to beat out of her. Or so it seems till the plot takes an interesting but illogical twist. More ghouls emerge, one of which is truly hideous. But not I dare say, as the living monsters in the world who feed on fear and hate and must be stopped.
