If there are any more Insidious movies to be made, the producers are not saying. There are whispers of a fifth movie, but how many fans want it? Many believe the saga has run full circle. When considering The Last Key ended at where it started, where it can go will depends on where the story can go next. Lin Shaye gives the character of Elise Rainier credibility to what most real-life paranormal investigators do.
When this series began, we were introduced to a young Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins). He is gifted with the ability to walk in a netherworld (known as the Further) unabated. His parents, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne), are very scared and believe with this talent, he will lose his way. Spirits populate this realm and none of them are friendly; they spirits wish to feed upon his life energy like a vampire requiring blood.
The only real problem with the Insidious series is in how many times can the producers play with a familiar plot and Astral Projection?
By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
The Insidious series is one of those guilty pleasures where I hope some answers are given about Darth Maul — er, The Red Faced Demon. The previous films, which I had to see again before penning this article, and the latest, The Last Key, do not necessarily follow in a logical order. This franchise is taking just as long as the Paranormal Activity series to offer answers. I fear I will have a complete head of gray hair by the time any will be offered.
All we get with this latest work is that it looks at the life of Elise before she became a full time paranormal investigator, and everything that has plagued her life, before taking on the case presented from the first film.
This prequel has its moments, and actually has one great jump scare which caused me to gasp. I often wondered if I could ever get that reaction with any horror movie, and this film actually delivered. It’s very rare for me to get startled. Also, Specs and Tucker (Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson) are hilarious as always. This movie’s saving grace is with how well-developed the character of Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is. She defines and saves this franchise from mediocrity.
Whannell is also this series lead and co-writer. He develops what goes on in the Astral Realm known as The Further in baby steps and the details which matter is nothing new to those who study the occult. In what goes on there are darker reflections in what goes on in the mortal world. Rainier has skeletons in the closet and I am not surprised at the visions she sees in this other world. When she’s called to investigate her childhood home, all those memories are going to surface in some horrible way. To watch her deal with, bury the past and deal with her demons makes this fourth film better than the previous. Her resolve is being nicely developed.
By Ed Sum 