Insidious (2010)
What makes a true haunted house is foreboding tension.
Presentation:
This was very scary to me as a child. The desaturated and dark color palette is fittingly dreadful and devoid of happiness, making this film very foreboding. It stands out for having such a long build up with no scares for a nerve-wracking amount of time. When it does come, it’s so unpredictable and sudden that it completely floors you. All that matters in horror is having an eerie atmosphere and how this movie presents that is terrifying.
Conclusion:
The ending is a bit silly but I was too frightened to follow along what was supposed to be happening. Still notable enough to recommend for its ominously crafted tension building. But for those familiar with the genre, there’s really nothing special about this haunted house. At least I think it’ll be scarier than The Conjuring. As a story, it’s kinda meh. As a horror, it’s pretty intense. Some cheap, some life sucking scares, you never know which one you’ll get at any given moment.
Recommendations
Subverting suburban horror.