Before seeing “Insidious: Chapter 2,” you should probably watch its predecessor, because the second installment picks up right where the first one ended.

The audience is given a brief recap of the popular thriller at the start of its sequel, but not everything is covered. When we last saw the Lambert Family in “Insidious,” Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) had discovered the corpse of Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), a paranormal investigator hired to help the Lambert’s eldest son Dalton (Ty Simpkins).

Dalton had been in a coma after accidently venturing into an alternate universe in his sleep. He eventually wakes up after his father, Josh (Patrick Wilson), fearlessly undergoes hypnosis and enters into the alternate world in search of his son. But in the process of leaving the alternate world, Josh is possessed by a tormented spirit.

This is where “Insidious: Chapter 2” — a brilliantly haunting film — begins. The actors all deliver outstanding performances this time around. Wilson does particularly well in his “Insidious 2” role, which is much more dynamic and complex than the first film. In the sequel, Wilson portrays his original character, but does so by playing a man possessed by an evil spirit.

The supporting characters also effectively manage to expand their roles, while still staying consistent with the essence of the first film. Along with the acting, the exceptional costumes and cinematography give the film the extra boost that it needs.

The film is definitely strong enough to hold the attention of the audience and frighten them from time to time with shocking plot twists. But the film lacks any real unique qualities. It was obviously influenced by many other horror films — some scenes seemed directly inspired by other horror movie moments.

The 1982 film “Poltergeist” is clearly used as a model in the “Insidious” films. “Poltergeist” supposes the existence of a parallel universe inhabited by creatures that have the ability to go in and out of our universe. In “Insidious: Chapter 2,” there is a similar visit to another world called “The Further.” There are also themes taken from “Psycho,” “The Shining” and “The Exorcist.”

Although not everything in “Insidious: Chapter 2” is built on plots from other horror films, the large amount of it demonstrates director James Wan’s lack of creativity. By having the film take place in more than one haunted house, Wan had the opportunity to be creative and try new things, but he does not capitalize on the ominous setting. Luckily, Wan already established his name in the horror genre with previous projects and was still able to make “Insidious: Chapter 2” an intricately written film.

Compared to the success and large fan base of Wan’s “Insidious” and “The Conjuring,” “Insidious: Chapter 2” failed to live up to audiences’ expectations. Fans have been quick to realize that Wan’s lack of creativity seems to be related to a loss of interest in repeating the “Insidious” ghost-stories, and using the sequel to merely expand his characters and their worlds.

While it may be disappointing for some, “Insidious: Chapter 2” seems to be consistent with the habits of most sequel films that typically expand on a constrained storyline in an intriguing way. Wan makes use of all the different elements of the first film while evolving the ideas in new ways.

It is definitely worth a watch for those who were big fans of the first film, or even those who love a good scare. Many of the film’s scary moments are memorable enough to make the overall experience worthwhile.

Published on October 15, 2013 at 11:10 pm

Contact Brittany: baruss01@syr.edu