Not since William Castle : INSIDIOUS

The bad news about James Wan's Insidious is that Patrick Wilson does not remove his shirt during the course of this film...not once! 


The good news about James Wan's Insidious is that it's one of the most entertaining horror films to come down the pike in a very long time.


When a couple and their three children move into a gorgeous old home, the wife (Rose Byrne), almost immediately starts noticing that items she has unpacked are going missing, and books she neatly set on to shelves are found  later scattered on the floor.  Her eldest son (Ty Simpkins) tells her that he does not like his room, and noises seem to be coming from the attic.  Nothing very dramatic here, just enough bumps in the night to set one's nerves on edge.


It's not until the son falls into a coma after a (seemingly) innocuous mishap, that things start getting metaphysical.


After an episode that includes late night rapping's at the front door and ghostly intruders wandering into bedrooms, the family, quite sensibly, cuts their losses and moves into another home.  And all is well, for a few minutes, until whatever was haunting these people has found its way to their new address.


With their son still in a coma, and the new house seemingly a welcome center for earth bound spirits, the family, in desperation contacts a medium  to set things right.  It's at this point that Insidious goes  from a creepy, spine chiller, to a balls-to-the-wall fun ride complete with wailing ghosties, astral projection, disembodied hands coming out of kitchen drawers; and a demonic being who is fond of Tiny Tim's rendition of Tip Toe through the Tulips - I am pretty sure that a kitchen sink is also featured somewhere as well.

I've already heard some folks claim that they enjoyed the film until the final quarter claiming it was too over the top for their tastes.  That's odd, becuase I found the final quarter of Insidious a hell of a lot of fun.  From Lynn Shaye's charming portrayal of the spiritualist, to Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson's much needed comic relief as the bumbling assistants, to the cavalcade of costumed creeps popping up in clothes closets, to the wacky seance complete with archaic cameras and gas masks -- this is the kind of fun stuff not seen since the time of William Castle (why weren't our seats rigged with buzzers, where were the ghost glasses, why no life insurance policy).  You see, that is the beauty of Insidious; what begins as a truly eerie suspense piece, eventually morphs into a seat-of-the-pants-thrill ride.  It's called showmanship, kids.  It's called entertainment!

Yeah, this is a rave.  I loved this film.  So get up off your asses, get a ticket, leave all expectations at the door, and strap your self in for a fun ride. 


Fun?  Remember fun?  Apparently, James Wan does.