Insidious The Last Key (2018)
Directed by Adam Robitel
Written by Leigh Whannell
Starring Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Davison, Caitlin Gerard, Spencer Locke
Release Date January 5th, 2018
I’ve finally figured out why I love the 'Insidious' franchise so much. It’s not that the franchise is all that better than most modern horror films, it still has the clumsiness and exposition laden dialogue and awkward humor that mark most low budget horror of the era. But, what 'Insidious' has over other modern horror movies is great characters. Genuinely likable, funny, and strong characters that we can really root for, especially Lyn Shaye’s brilliant Elise Rainier.
Insidious: The Last Key stars Lyn Shaye as Elise Rainier. Elise is a psychic who can speak to the dead and she’s made a business of it with her partners, Specs (Leigh Whannell, also the series screenwriter) and Tucker (Angus Simpson). Together they battle demons but their latest investigation is one that hits close to home, quite literally for Elise; this haunting is in her childhood home in Five Keys, New Mexico.
In an exceptional opening scene we are introduced to Elise as a child, played by Ava Colker). We find that Elise has always had the ability to speak to the dead, an ability that her mother encouraged and her father punished, quite violently. The opening scene finds Elise locked in her basement by her abusive father and suffering an immense tragedy in the fallout. The opening is exceptionally well-staged with a terrific jump scare and a genuinely moving bit of tragedy that only deepens our connection to Elise our franchise heroine.
Cut to Elise awakening from a dream in her home in California. Each dream for Elise is a piece of a puzzle she can use when she goes into 'The Further' that place between life and death where she battles demons for the souls of those who are taken. It is then that Elise receives a call from a man in New Mexico who has a haunting that happens to be in Elise's childhood home. The demons are calling her back to the place where her gift first took hold.
Find my full length review in the Horror Community on Vocal
