Editorials
Can ‘Insidious: Chapter 3’ Course-Correct The Franchise?
When Insidious was released back in 2011, it marked the resurgence of low budget horror after a decade of big budget remakes and other (lazy) major studio horror films. The film was such a success (both critically and commercially), that a sequel was inevitable. Unfortunately, Insidious: Chapter 2 was not greeted with the same accolades that its predecessor received.With Insidious: Chapter 3 coming out this weekend, we thought it might be worth discussing whether or not it’s possible for the prequel to fix where the first sequel went wrong.
Insidious is one of my favorite horror films so far this decade, and I never expected it to be. At the time of its release, PG-13 horror didn’t inspire much confidence (and still doesn’t), and James Wan wasn’t as much of a household name as he is now. Yes, he made a name for himself with Saw, but after a few duds like Dead Silence and Death Sentence, Wan was not the hot name he once was. Once I finally saw it, I was blown away.
I know people have a lot of issues with the final act of the film, but as I’ve mentioned before, I kind of love it. The film was terrifying (don’t even tell me you didn’t get scared by that lipstick-faced demon) and heartfelt, while being grounded by the performances of Lin Shaye, Rose Byrne (whom I absolutely love), Patrick Wilson and Barbara Hershey. Hell, even the child actors were great! It also subverted many of the haunted house genre expectations (they actually move to a new house!).
Two years later, Insidious: Chapter 2 was released. It still made a healthy profit, but it was bashed by critics and audience members alike. While it isn’t necessarily the sequel I wanted, I don’t hate it like so many other people seem to. It is certainly not as good as the first one, mostly because there aren’t any surprises. It’s just another case of “more of the same.” Also, all of the character’s are pretty stupid for not realizing the Patrick Wilson character is possessed immediately at the start of the film.
My main gripe with the film isn’t the direction the plot took the “Black Bride” character, but more so with the fact that the tone of the film seemed to drastically change. It was a sillier film, and this was due to the overabundance of the Specs and Tucker characters, both of whom I actually like, in small doses. Also, the heart that was present in the first film seemed to be missing from Chapter 2.
Now we have Insidious: Chapter 3 being released this weekend, and I’m worried, but hopeful. It’s a prequel, which I’m usually not a fan of (I don’t care about backstory; I want to see the franchise’s plot move forward), but since the series kind of screwed itself by killing off Shaye in the end of the first film, a prequel makes sense. Her cameo in Chapter 2 felt awkward.
Add to that the fact that the Lambert family is (supposedly) no longer involved, James Wan is no longer directing (though if it had to be anyone, I’m glad Leigh Whannell was his replacement) and I’m not sure what to think of this film. As I mentioned earlier, Insidious had plenty of scares and a lot of heart, both of which were things missing from Chapter 2. The best thing Chapter 3 could do is reinfuse those things back into the story.
I’m not trying to be a Negative Nancy here at all, and I certainly am not asking for the backlash I received when discussing the X-Files reboot (though all opinions are welcome in the comments below). I want this film to instill in me the excitement I felt when I left the theater from watching the first film (twice). I just think it’s important for the filmmakers to remember what made the first Insidious so good in the first place. Chapter 2 felt rushed and a little bit lazy. I don’t want that for this film.
If the goal is to have each sequel be a standalone(ish) film following a different demon-hunting expedition of Elise, Specs and Tucker, then I suppose it could be interesting (though it doesn’t sound like it). I’m not really sure where I want the franchise to go, but I hope Chapter 3 sets it back on the right track (at least tonally).
Of course, it’s too late now for them to change anything about the film, but I’m interested to know what you think. Are you excited for Chapter 3? Or did Chapter 2 leave such a bad taste in your mouth that you’ve given up on the franchise? Let me know in the comments below!
From child-eating witches to village-burning dragons, fairy tales have always had a foot in the horror genre. That’s why it makes sense that, for every The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia, there are also darker and more adult-oriented stories about magical worlds inhabited by ravenous monsters and cruel villains.
Funnily enough, these sinister tales were precisely the ones that I gravitated towards back when I was a kid, and I was reminded of this while watching Netflix’s recently released I Am Frankelda, Mexico’s first ever feature-length stop-motion animation and one hell of an entertaining parable about the intersection between fiction and reality.
In honor of this special kind of horror-adjacent fairy tale, today I’d like to share this list recommending six Dark Fantasy films that horror fans might enjoy.
For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining Dark Fantasy as fantastical stories that don’t shy away from the more macabre elements that fuel classic fairy tales. That being said, don’t forget to comment below with your own grim favorites if you think we missed a particularly thrilling one.
With that out of the way, onto the list!
6. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
I’m fascinated by bizarre attempts at blockbuster filmmaking – especially when the resulting movies are somehow still fun despite their corporate-mandated origins. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is precisely one of these strangely compelling studio projects, as this surprisingly successful action-thriller boasts a lot of heart (and tongue-in-cheek humor) for a CGI-heavy creature feature.
Directed by Dead Snow’s Tommy Wirkola, Witch Hunters re-frames the classic fairy tale as an origin story for a duo of badass monster-slayers. Of course, it’s the flick’s anachronistic aesthetic and overall visual flair that make it stand out from other action-horror endeavors from around the same time.
5. The Wolf House (2018)
Made in the tradition of faux cursed films in the same vein as Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made, the eerie backstory to 2018’s Chilean animated flick The Wolf House (La Casa Lobo in the original Spanish) already makes it a nightmarish experience before the flick even really begins.
After all, the movie is presented to us as a faux propaganda film produced by the leader of a death cult (heavily inspired by the real life Colonia Dignidad), with this hybrid animated feature using complex movie magic to simulate a single uninterrupted shot as it tells the story of a lazy young girl who runs away from an isolated colony and encounters a creepy old house in the woods.
4. The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Out of all the Monty Python alumni, Terry Gilliam has had the most interesting career outside of the original comedy group. From fascinating canceled projects (such as his scrapped adaptation of Watchmen) to dystopian parodies that feel more relevant by the minute (1985’s Brazil), even his “lesser” films are still intriguing in their own way.
2005’s The Brothers Grimm is one such project, with this peculiar movie attempting to combine the comedian-turned-filmmaker’s unique visual style with a more blockbuster-oriented plot reimagining the titular brothers as con-artists rather than mere writers. The end result isn’t exactly a masterpiece, but it’s still a legitimately fun ride with plenty of memorable monsters and wonderful performances by both the late, great Heath Ledger and Matt Damon.
3. Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic (2010)
2010’s Dante’s Inferno game may have a reputation as something of an unapologetic God of War clone, but I’d argue that the now-obscure game was aesthetically unique enough to deserve a bigger fanbase. However, while the title remains trapped on the seventh console generation, its highly underrated anime adaptation is a lot easier to get a hold of!
Animated by 6 different studios in order to make the 9 circles of hell feel unique from each other, this may not be a completely faithful adaptation of Dante Alighieri’s poem, but it’s still one heck of a great (not to mention gory) time that I’d highly recommend to fans of Netflix’s take on Castlevania.
2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)
My personal favorite entry in the Underworld franchise, Rise of the Lycans, is a highly ambitious prequel that actually works better if you haven’t had the story spoiled to you by the previous Underworld films.
While the rest of the series features plenty of urban fantasy elements as the movies combine machine guns and modern environments with gothic storytelling, Patrick Tatopoulos’ prequel fully embraces its fantastical origins and tells a classic tale about a doomed romance between a werewolf and a vampire amid a medieval uprising.
And the best part is that we get a lot more Michael Sheen as the fan-favorite Lucian.
1. Solomon Kane (2011)
One of my personal favorite movies on this list, MJ Basset’s criminally underseen adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s other iconic warrior is thoroughly steeped in horror ambience and features plenty of memorable monsters. However, it’s also a classic origin story for a swashbuckling hero that wouldn’t feel out of place in a tabletop RPG.
While I’ve already written about how the film deftly combines both horror and fantasy elements without breaking the bank, I’ll never pass up an opportunity to recommend the bizarre movie where James Purefoy expertly plays a puritan John Wick.
It’s just too bad that we never got the other films in this intended trilogy.
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