INSIDIOUS
US, 2010, 103 minutes. Colour.
Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Barbara Hershey, Ty Simpkins, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson.
Directed by James Wan.
A reasonable drama (well, reasonable may not be the right word because of the intricacies of the plot, haunting and demons), but enjoyable for those who like this kind of terror film. It has its scary moments and some jumps but on the whole its atmosphere is eerie.
Writer Leigh Whannell and director, James Wan, learnt their original movie craft in Melbourne. What they are famous for (very famous) is that they did the first Saw film. For Insidious, they must have listened to the comments that the Saw series is too horrible and gory, because this is quite restrained (a few fights and struggles with the ghosts but no blood and gore). But, they know what they are doing, writing an effective thriller and employing lots of camera movement and angles in drawing the audience into the mood of the family anxiety and the atmospheric house.
When those in the know see the name of Orin Peli amongst the producers, the Paranormal Activity link will be made. Insidious has quite a lot of para-parnormal activity and, unlike the original film which posed as a documentary, this is a narrative fiction, no dates and times, no hand-held camera observing of the characters and their plight. In fact, this one offers explanations for the weird goings-on, the poltergeist activity and the haunting.
While a priest is called in briefly for some support when parents are alarmed at the mysterious coma of their son, and the characters say, ‘for God’s sake’, God is particularly absent. In fact, this is a very secular ghost story and even more, the family calls in a kind of secular exorcist and her technology team to get rid of the ghosts – which is rather different in plot from what we might have expected. And, a shock ending.
The film-makers also have the advantage of an up-market cast. Josh and Renai (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) and their three children have moved house and discover spooky things insidiously entering their happy family life. Their son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins) has an accident in the attic and goes into coma for months. The reasons are not as expected either.
Josh’s mother (Barbara Hershey) has also been having some frightening dreams and calls in her friend, Elise (Lin Shaye) and the process of ridding the house of the ghosts starts and ups the fright quotient.
During the opening credits the musical score is not insidious, rather the extraverted loud opposite, outsidious, perhaps. Subtlety is not required as the film goes on.
So, a pretty good haunting story for ghost hunting fans.
1. A haunted house film? Ghost film? Demons?
2. The writer and the director, their work on Saw, their use of the genre and conventions, plot, visuals, camerawork, music? Variations on the conventions?
3. The houses, their ordinariness, attics, cupboards, rooms? Becoming sinister?
4. The opening credits, the ghost, the black and white sequences of the houses? The score and its emphasis?
5. The title, the effect, the not insidious score, the insidious plot development and atmosphere?
6. The family, Renai waking up, Josh and his snoring, Dalton waking, the breakfast, Foster and Callie? At work, at home, Josh going to school? Unpacking? Ordinary household work?
7. Renai and her composing, the missing box of manuscripts, being found in the attic, the strange sounds, the baby? There being nothing present in the rooms? The effect on Renai, imagination, fear?
8. Josh, teaching at school, workload, correcting assignments, working late, nodding off, the tensions?
9. Dalton, exploring the attic, the ladder, his collapse, going into coma, the doctors not giving any explanation, the months of coma, his being at home, the nurse, the support systems, his parents and concern, Foster and his fears of Dalton walking during the night?
10. The various bumps, noises, the open door of the house, the alarm going off, adding to the atmosphere?
11. Lorraine and her visit, her concern about Josh, encouraging Renai, discussions about Josh and the photos, Dylan (**?? Dalton?) and his mother, no photos of Josh as a boy?
12. Renai’s fear, her demands, moving house? The number of apparitions? Josh and his scepticism?
13. Lorraine inviting Elise and her assistants to come? Elise as pleasant, her work, the comic assistants and their banter? The explanations of the process? The Further? The demons? Being rid of the demons?
14. A secular exorcist, secular demons – and audiences more readily believing them?
15. Josh, listening to the explanation, unwilling to go ahead, learning the truth from Elise and his mother, seeing the photos with the ghostly presences, his having no memories?
16. The process, the children being at their grandmother’s house? Filming and recording? Elise and her gentleness, hypnotising Josh, his interior journey, watching himself sitting in the chair, the range of ghosts and appearances, the family sitting in their sitting room, the deaths? Finding Dalton, Josh and his search, Elise’s comments, Rose and her anxiety, calling Josh back? The locked door, coming in the front, Dalton waking?
17. The jokes about the process, the video, seeing the image, fear, Elise and her accomplishment, confronting Josh, her death?
18. Scares, eerie atmosphere? Deeper issues about death, the afterlife, ghosts, hell? The power of humans to rid themselves of the ghosts and the hauntings?
