Insidious: Chapter 2 Review: A Haunting Sequel That Expands the Further

Introduction (Warning Contains Spoilers)

With a new Insidious movie, Insidious: Out Of the Further, on the way, we decided to revisit the franchise.

However, this time around, we are viewing the movies chronologically instead of the way they were originally released.

That means our journey through the franchise has taken a slightly different route. We started with Insidious: Chapter 3, which acts as a prequel to the original film.

We then watched Insidious: The Last Key, which takes place before the events of Insidious. After those films, we finally reached Insidious, released in 2010.

Now, our chronological journey continues with Insidious: Chapter 2.

Released in 2013, Chapter 2 is directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. It serves as the direct sequel to the original Insidious.

More significantly, however, it starts only shortly after the shocking ending of that film. Josh Lambert has come back from The Further, the supernatural world.

But, something else has come back along with him to the real world. Josh has been possessed by Parker Crane, the evil spirit known also as the Bride in Black.

It presents a completely different scenario for the Lambert family. The man who was supposed to help his family could now prove to be the biggest threat.

Therefore, there lies a great challenge ahead for Chapter 2.

It will have to progress the narrative while also providing a solution to what happens after the ending of the first film.

Moreover, it should continue to create the mythology without solving the mystery around The Further.

Thus, has James Wan been successful in expanding upon the movie he had begun in 2010?

Or has the sequel fallen into the trap of giving out too much? Let us have a detailed look at Insidious: Chapter 2.

The Story

One of the strongest points of Chapter 2 is its dedication to developing the original plot. It does not just create another supernatural event with another family.

Rather, it follows the Lamberts and the aftermath of their experience. This automatically makes the sequel more relevant and meaningful.

At the end of the original, Josh appeared to save Dalton from The Further. But then it turned out that Josh had become possessed himself.

Chapter 2 continues the plot right where the previous film left off. Josh’s experience of becoming possessed serves as the starting point for the whole sequel.

Renai starts feeling uncomfortable about her husband’s strange behavior. The audience knows in advance that there is something wrong with Josh.

As opposed to whether Josh is possessed or not, what we need now is for his family to find out the truth about him.

Thus, the movie turns out to be less of a mystery than the original.

Nevertheless, such development enables the film creators to make the audience more familiar with the character.

Eventually, it turns out that Josh was linked to The Further since childhood. Thus, the character gets an additional background.

Josh’s experiences were not brought upon him by Dalton’s supernatural powers. Josh has been linked to this world since earlier times.

This makes Josh’s relationship with his son even more intriguing. Furthermore, it means that troubles of the Lambert family have been growing for years.

In addition to this, the sequel develops the history of Parker Crane. Bride in Black was one of the most memorable characters of the original.

In the sequel, however, the viewer gets to know more about this character’s past. One finds out about Parker’s childhood and relationship with his mother.

Thus, the character’s horrible personality is explained.

Whether he is scarier because of that is a different question altogether.

The first movie gained something through the aura of mystery associated with the ghosts. Chapter 2 goes on to give much more information about them.

It is obviously much more complicated in that sense, but there is less of an element of uncertainty involved.

Nevertheless, the movie gets credit for trying to come up with real answers. Horror movie sequels rarely bother to address their predecessor’s mysteries.

Chapter 2 does the opposite. It takes the mystery as the basis of its storyline.

Building On The Original

The sequel works particularly well when it treats the first film as part of a larger story. Wan does not simply repeat the formula from 2010.

Rather, he revisits scenes that we have seen before. It turns out that there was more happening than what we originally thought about these events.

This helps us to reinterpret particular scenes. It also creates a strong link between the movies. To some extent, Insidious and Chapter 2 become one big movie separated into two parts.

Thus, the film becomes justified in existence because it is not just an extension of the franchise but has something meaningful to add to the story.

Moreover, The Further becomes more elaborated. This otherworldly place remained rather obscure and creepy in the first movie.

There was almost nothing known about the laws of this place. That ignorance was terrifying.

Chapter 2 has considerably more of this odd place.

The Further plays an even bigger role in this chapter. This adds a lot of mythology and history to the franchise.

However, it adds another major drawback for the film. Horror is most effective when there is uncertainty.

Once there is an explanation, the element of mystery is lost. The Further continues to be visually scary and intriguing.

However, it is not nearly as mysterious as it once was. Here lies the problem with the sequel. Sequels must add more to the experience.

But just because there is more information does not mean it will scare you. Sometimes the mystery is scarier than the answer.

James Wan’s Direction

James Wan returns as director, which gives Chapter 2 a strong connection to the original.

Indeed, his directorial skills are very noticeable in Chapter 2.

He knows well that horror does not mean being always on the run and that sometimes the best thing you can do is to stay still.

Indeed, he moves slowly through rooms and hallways. He lets us look at what could be dangerous for the protagonists within the frame.

A door can become threatening out of the blue. A dark hallway can give the feeling of threat even if nothing occurs.

An empty room can become threatening since something is expected to occur there. That element is already inherent in the original.

Wan keeps using it successfully in the sequel. Yet, at the same time, the film has a more theatrical touch.

The visuals are more advanced especially when it comes to The Further-related scenes. The use of colouring and stylized lighting is more prominent.

Thus, the film seems more grand-scale compared to its predecessor. However, it does not have to be scarier.

The original could make regular locations feel scary. Chapter 2 is more ready to accept the supernatural environment.

Thus, the film becomes very ambitious in terms of visuals. However, sometimes it reduces the grounding effect that works for the original one.

Wan also keeps using practical effects and other conventional horror movie tools. It helps to make supernatural elements believable

The ghosts seem to be physical entities and not computer-generated. It suits the theatrical nature of The Further.

Also, Wan employs camera movements to show things bit by bit. The audience is shown something while the characters still do not know about it.

It creates dramatic irony. People know about the danger while the characters are unaware of it. It is a simple technique, yet Wan knows how to apply it properly.

Cinematography

John R. Leonetti makes his return as cinematographer after the first film. He continues the visual style used in the previous Insidious.

But this time, there are certain differences between the two films. The most significant one is the colour palette.

Insidious becomes colder and more greyer as the film goes on. In Chapter 2, there is still a lot of colour in the film. This gives the sequel a more polished and theatrical appearance.

It helps give The Further that sense of being a dark fantasy world. There is an abundance of darkness in the cinematography.

The use of doorways, hallways, stairs, and vacant spaces continues to play a vital role. Leonetti often surrounds the characters with pockets of darkness.

It causes us to examine the areas carefully. We begin to question if there is anything lurking there. This is particularly successful during the less action-packed scenes.

There doesn’t necessarily have to be a monster in frame to create tension. Just the mere hint that one could appear is sufficient.

Lighting also comes into play here. Flashlights and practical lights often feature in the scenes. Thus, they limit the scope of vision.

Darkness therefore becomes an integral part of the horror. The characters can see only what their limited lighting allows them to.

We wonder about whatever lies beyond the lighting range. Technically speaking, Chapter 2 is more advanced than the original one.

The camera work is more confident and deliberate. The lighting is more complex. More colours are employed too.

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t call the cinematography more successful. The more rough original sometimes looked more realistic due to its unpolished appearance.

Chapter 2 seems to strive for a horror film look more consciously. It can therefore look less realistic.

Thus, technically, the sequel is more refined. Atmospherically, however, the original is still superior.

Themes

The themes that the sequel develops are consistent with the original. Family is still one of the main themes.

Nonetheless, the new chapter depicts what comes next for families that have gone through something traumatic.

The Lamberts are not just trying to run away from their haunting anymore. They are dealing with its aftermath.

Renai has to wonder whether she can trust her own husband. Although Josh is physically there, he is not himself anymore.

Dalton has already experienced something that no kid should ever experience. This makes the supernatural story even more emotional and personal.

The sequel also delves into the theme of identity. Josh is physically identical to the person whom his family knows.

Nevertheless, some completely different entity is now in control. It works perfectly thanks to the performance by Patrick Wilson.

The character remains recognizable while gradually getting creepier and creepier. Thus, it makes the audience think about the following issue.

How do you know whether a person is himself or herself? The film also shows the influence of the past on people’s lives.

The experiences that Josh had as a kid become increasingly important. The same is true about Parker Crane’s past and how the trauma affected him.

In other words, the past is not something that can be buried and forgotten. It relates to the supernatural concepts of the franchise.

The Further makes the past and present coexist. This implies that the trauma that people experienced may affect them for years.

These themes make Chapter 2 more profound than a ghost story. Nonetheless, some thematic ideas become overshadowed by the mythology

Character Development

Josh gets the biggest development in the sequel. He is seen having a link with The Further in the first movie.

The second movie reveals where this link originated. His childhood is revealed. His experiences and their effect on his family members are also shown.

Josh becomes a complex character as a result. This possession also allows for the exploration of his character from a different perspective.

He becomes both victim and villain.

Renai is also developed. She is not just a reactive character to supernatural occurrences. She needs to know whether she can trust Josh again.

This makes her an active character within the movie plot. Rose Byrne delivers a lot of fear and intensity in these scenes.

It allows for the family situation to become emotionally plausible.

Lorraine also plays an important role. Barbara Hershey plays a protective mother who tries to save her family.

However, she has to deal with the past events of Josh’s life. Therefore, this character becomes part of the past and the present.

Dalton remains important because of his connection to The Further. However, he receives less attention than Josh.

That is understandable given the story’s focus. Still, some viewers may miss his larger role from the original.

The reappearance of Lin Shaye as Elise is another positive point. Although Elise is dead, she has her place in The Further, and her storyline can be continued.

She still remains devoted to helping the Lambert family.

Steve Coulter’s Carl is a useful new addition. He provides knowledge about The Further and helps continue Elise’s work.

Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson also return as Specs and Tucker. Their humour provides occasional relief from the darker material.

However, their comedy can sometimes clash with the film’s serious atmosphere.

The Performances

The performance of Patrick Wilson is, by far, the best one in this film.

This is particularly true in the sense that he is, essentially, acting as two people – Josh and Josh under possession.

Josh and possessed Josh have to appear as two entirely different entities. And Wilson pulls off this effect through his body language and facial expressions.

The way that he talks and behaves changes considerably. But in all this, there is still a part of Josh that emerges through.

This makes the performance believable. But at the same time, it makes the situation quite scary.

Here is the family watching Josh, but now Josh has become someone else. And Wilson manages to pull that off.

And Rose Byrne does an good job with Renai. She shows the fear and intensity of this character.

But even more than that, she portrays the exhaustion and fear of having gone through all this.

For Renai’s fear is not just fear of the ghosts. It is the fear of something happening to her husband. That makes it a whole lot more personal.

Coulter makes a good impression playing Carl. Carl is not just a replacement for Elise.

On the contrary, he adds his own character to the investigation of the supernatural.

Barbara Hershey still manages to imbue Lorraine with emotional depth.

Lin Shaye has always been one of the most memorable actors in the franchise.

The rest of the supporting performances stay strong as well. Including Leigh whannell’s Specs and Angus Sampson’s Tucker

But it is the performances of Wilson and Byrne that are the best. These actors add emotional depth to the supernatural plot.

Pacing

One of the more inconsistent elements in Chapter 2 would be its pacing. The opening is successful in beginning right away following the original.

There is no wasted time in establishing the scenario. The viewers already know that something bad happens.

This creates a sense of urgency. Then the movie starts jumping between different narratives.

The possession of Josh serves as the mystery here. Renai has to deal with the disturbing behavior at home.

Some of the other characters investigate Parker Crane and the background of Josh. The movie also moves back in different periods of time.

This structure adds to the mystery element of the movie. It also makes the middle section of the movie somewhat confusing.

Some of the scenes go fast and maintain good pace. While others are slowing down due to the fact that the characters need to explain the mythology.

This results in inconsistent pace. The viewers sometimes are waiting for the characters to learn the information we already know.

This kills part of the suspense factor. The movie remains entertaining throughout it all. However, its pace is less consistent compared to the original.

A simpler storyline might have led to a better horror experience.

What Worked

The biggest success is the continuation of the original story. The sequel respects the previous film’s ending.

It does not simply reset the characters. Josh’s possession becomes the foundation for the entire story.

That gives the film a genuine reason to exist. Patrick Wilson’s performance is another major strength.

His portrayal of possessed Josh gives the film a human face for its evil. The cinematography is also strong.

Leonetti builds upon the original while introducing a more colourful visual style. The use of darkness and negative space remains effective.

The expansion of The Further is another ambitious decision. It gives the franchise greater mythology and history.

The film also benefits from revisiting events from the first movie. This makes the two films feel closely connected.

The themes of family, identity and trauma also add emotional weight. Most importantly, the Lambert family still feels central to the story.

That prevents the film from becoming purely about supernatural mythology.

What Did Not Work

The biggest weakness is probably the amount of explanation. The original film made The Further frightening because it was mysterious.

Here there is a lot more explanation for how this world operates. It is certainly interesting for the mythology.

On the other hand, it makes this supernatural world less scary. This sequel may also become overly complicated with its plot.

There are many timelines and mysteries to uncover here. They are all interesting separately.

When they come together, they may make the plot crowded. This sequel still has some familiar horror methods.

Jump scares and sudden appearances are present as well. They are still effective. But they have lost their surprise value after the original. This may be a result of the pacing of the movie.

It tries to give characters and their drama along with horror and mythology. And it does not do it evenly.

Final Verdict

Insidious: Chapter 2 is a good sequel to continue the original story. This movie doesn’t just repeat the plot line of the first film.

Instead, it enriches the mythology and develops the Lambert family history. The direction by James Wan is still efficient and visual.

Also, John R. Leonetti presents high-quality and atmospheric filming.

Patrick Wilson makes the best performance being the possessed Josh. Again, Rose Byrne provides the emotional center of the story.

Moreover, the sequel provides the satisfying ending to the shocking events of the first film. Unfortunately, the sequel isn’t as mystical and scary as the original one.

The main weakness of the sequel is in its attempts to give explanations too many times. The expanded mythology makes the story more ambitious.

However, this ambition takes away from the mystery that made the first film so good. The pacing of the film is also inconsistent because of switching between timelines and investigations.

Despite these flaws, the sequel still remains interesting. Insidious: Chapter 2 feels like the second chapter rather than the cash-in sequel.

As far as I am concerned, the first film Insidious is better as a horror experience. However, the sequel deserves the praise for the attempt of making the story more ambitious.

The development of the characters, mythology expansion and answers of the important questions make the sequel more of the continuation than the standalone horror film.

It is neither as fresh nor as frightening as the first one. But the sequel succeeds in developing the previous story.

Therefore, the question is whether giving more to the audience makes the franchise better. The answer to it in the case of this franchise is a bit complicated.

First of all, Insidious: Chapter 2 gives more story, more mythology and answers.

Moreover, the sequel gives us more reasons to understand the supernatural problems of the Lambert family.

Sometimes, however, horror works in reverse way. This is the main difference between two films.

The first movie was so frightening because we didn’t understand anything about The Further.

While in this sequel, it becomes more fascinating because we understand it better.

For that reason, Insidious: Chapter 2 is not necessarily better than the original.

It is simply trying to do something different with the same foundation.

And, for the most part, it succeeds.