For 16 years the Insidious franchise has scared the crap out of us. A generational horror series that has evolved and haunted our screens proving that the right core premise can elevate horror past that flash in the pan fright fest with Out of the Further the sixth addition to the series.
I’ll begin by saying you don’t need to have seen the rest, but it will help you to understand some of the nuances of the story and give you a better appreciation for the characters we are about to meet.
Gemma (Amelia Eve) witnessed the horrific death of her mother as a young child, you’d be forgiven for thinking Gemma was a wreck but she has battled through and is making a happy healthy life for herself and her daughter Maya (Island Austin). They live in the family home left to Gemma by her mother, surrounded by neighbours who care and look out for them and by all accounts are happy.
Just underneath the smiles Gemma is suffering from horrific nightmares. She feels like something is reaching out to her from the other side and it seems these nightmares are taking over even when she is awake.
Gemma has a very special gift, she isn’t dreaming but travelling to The Further, a realm where lost souls dwell between here and their next destination. The Further is full of evil and demonic entities that will do anything to get back to the living realm and Gemma might be their ticket to do just that, unleashing a literal hell on earth.
Insidious: Out of the Further sticks pretty close to the staples that have made the series an enduring horror franchise. It excels in miss direction drawing your eyes to other areas of the screen before delivering a spine jolting jump scare that had more than one audience member squealing. Invoking some of our most primal, albeit irrational, fears like the dark, those uncanny faces that appear just off human, the dentist and claustrophobia both that had me squirming in my seat, coupled with atmospheric on screen tensions hauntingly combined with a score that feels unsettling yet never overpowering. Out of the Further provides more of the series signature and familiar fear inducing moments while managing to stand on its own with new and inventive ways to harken back to its predecessors.
Proving that she is just getting better with age, Lin Shaye returns providing yet another stellar performance as the medium Elise. Elise having been killed at the end of the original still continues to impose her positive influence as she navigates her way through the Further, helping Gamma come to terms and gain better control of her gift and proving once again without Elise we would all be in trouble.
Horror moments aside, Out of the Further touches on the effects of intergenerational trauma, exploring the mother daughter relationship across three generations. Gemma is doing everything in her power to not repeat the mistakes of her mother that caused her such fear and misunderstanding as a child. She embraces Maya’s quirks and shows her the love that can be felt from those around you that have helping to shape Maya into the young person she is. Amelia Eve’s performance is what holds probably the weakest yet most complex story element together and keeps the pacing moving forward. Gemma is shown to be strong yet emotionally vulnerable, determined to anything to fight for her daughter but struggling with her own demons not wanting to pass them onto Maya. Her portrayal gives you someone to root for when things go wrong.
Once again the Insidious series has given us some truly frightening moments and its biggest and most grotesque group of demons to haunt the back of your eyes long after the credits roll. Insidious: Out of the Further manages to balance the known formular of the series for us veterans while also feeling fresh enough for first timers. It may not knock the first as the best in the series, but it is a worthy inclusion to one of the best horror franchises in recent times.
Insidious: Out of the Further is out in cinemas now, as with any horror movie of this type its best seen with friends so that you can enjoy the joint fear building between you.
