Quick Reviews: Insidious- Chapter 2

After I wasn't super 'in love' with the Original (but it was still decent), how will the inevitable Sequel turn out?  Let's see...

In a somewhat-pointless Flashback opening, we learn about Josh's earlier targeting by a spirit.  We already knew all that, but it did give us the creepy over-dub of Elise's voice on her 'younger self.'

Is that better or worse than Digital De-Aging of Actors?  Discuss.

In the wake of what happened in the last Film, Josh is now possessed by an evil Spirit.  How he didn't fend it off is anyone's guess I suppose.  He managed to scare off that Freddy-acting guy earlier...

Since it worked so well twice in The Amityville Horror, the Dad now starts to act suspicious and more aggressive.

Since it worked so well in Insidious, we get lots and lots of Scenes of the Mom being spooked.  Yea?

With 'Male Elise' on the case (along with the Screenwriter and his buddy), we learn that this has to do with the Spirit of a Male Killer who dressed like his Mother to kill women.

There's an Homage and then there is just ripping off a Film.  Tell me how this isn't ripping off Psycho- please.

With the Ghosts of his victims haunting everyone (for some reason!) and the Dad losing control, can the day be saved?  For once, I won't SPOIL this one next time...since the 3rd Film is a Prequel (naturally).  The End.

I was expecting a letdown (given the Reviews) and I wasn't disappointed...that I was disappointed.  Make sense?  Who knows?  The basic idea is fine: people try to find Ghosts to save family.  It works well enough.  The problem: the Film tries to get gimmicky.  They go to the 'Horror Well' way too often as if this 2nd Film in a Series needs to remind you of other Films to make you like it.  You got a great response from the 1st Film, so what do you have to prove, James?  It isn't like they don't do their 'Homages' well enough.  I won't say that the make-up work and visuals aren't good.  The problem is that they don't feel too inspired.  My other big thing is the odd turn that the Third Act takes.  Without SPOILing things too much, the Further appears to allow you to interact with outside events at different times.  Is this Interstellar now?  Yes, I know that this one came out first- thanks.  If this was super-thoroughly planned out and all of these things panned out perfectly, I might be more forgiving.  However, most of what they play with happened in the Film you were already watching.  That's...less impressive.  In addition, can I ask why these Spirits always show up on Camera?  Furthermore, why does Josh's family keep all of this information to themselves?  Even if they don't want fame, they could help Elise AND help any Family who may be wary of calling someone like her.  How many Families needed help, but didn't call for it due to the stigma?  Good job, Barbara Hershey!  The Film's biggest crime though: reminding me of this lady again!

 A bit of a retread of the first Film and with too many 'Homages' to not be distracting.  This was bound to disappoint a little, right?