Blu-Ray Review: ‘INSIDIOUS’

For critics and fans alike, Insidious infused the early spring months of this year with a jolt of adrenaline.  The film marked a return to quality made horror films this year after genre fans had to suffer through lesser quality fare like Season of the Witch, The Rite, and The Roommate.  Yet, it was also embraced by critics who saw it as a fitting homage to horror classics like Poltergeist and The Exorcist. As a result, the film became the most successful film of the year when comparing its box-office take with its low budget.  Now, the film has creeped on to Blu-ray hoping to scare viewers the same way it did in theaters.  Is it successful in doing so?  . . .  Keep reading.

Insidious introduces us to a seemingly normal couple (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) busy with three kids and a brand new house.  The honeymoon of the new abode is quickly disrupted when young Dalton takes a tumble off of a ladder in the attic.  Bad turns to worse when the young boy unfortunately doesn’t wake the morning after the fall.  After doctors fail to wake the boy after three months, the troubled couple bring their son home to look after.  What follows is a series of sleepless nights, creepy whispering, slamming doors, and a tense first act ride that will have you sweating in the comfort of your own home.  After the husband reluctantly gives in to his wife’s demands to move to a new house, a whole new batch of incidents and demons are unleashed leading the viewer to think that there is a bigger problem forming than just a haunted house.

(to read my full review of the film when it was released in theaters, click HERE)

As I have previously stated in my earlier review, what works well for this film is its ability to scare the viewer.  Insidious does this so brilliantly because it delivers on its scares.  When you hear a noise in the other room, there really is someone in that room ready to pop out and attack you.  The film strays from its creepy atmosphere and mysterious faces emerging from the darkness in the final act where the film turns slightly more in the campy territory.  Though upon second viewing I did enjoy “the ride” or “journey” that the film and one of its characters go on in the final minutes.  I admit that I still enjoy the more subtle elements of the film a lot more.  In the end, Insidious emerges as one of the best horror films of the year and solidifies director James Wan and Leigh Whannell as a powerhouse duo to keep an eye on for years to come.

Even on Blu-ray, the film packs quite a punch if your home theater is fully equipped.  Since the film was made with the notorious Red Camera, the picture quality is both a blessing and a curse.  The picture details and transfer of the film onto the Blu-ray disc is seemless given the original digital format.  I dare you to find a glitch or hiccup in this impeccable presentation of the film.  Yet with most digital recordings, the blacks are really black. What I mean by this is that the picture and its backgrounds can look a little inky at times.  Granted, this could be a deliberate directing choice, but I think it has more to do with the limits of the digital medium.  In the sound department, the film is loud. . . really fucking loud!  If the conversations in the film are always on the normal to slightly lower than normal level, than the music and sound effects are turned up to This Is Spinal Tap “11.”  Though this fact may bother some that appreciate a more regular sound mix, the intention behind this choice is to clearly rattle you to death.  Since I adored the grating string compositions by composer Joseph Bishara (who, actually also plays the demon “with fire on his face” seen throughout the film), this element didn’t bother me as much.

As with all Blu-ray releases, one of the main questions is: How are the extras?  Well, for starters, for those who are purchasing the standard dvd instead of the Blu-ray, you can breathe a sign of relief since the extras on both are exactly the same.  Which in this case, is unfortunately slim.  Given the fact that Insidious was so profitable during its theatrical run and was such a triumphant for horror fans, it’s extremely sad to see such a thin portion of extra features.   First up, is Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar.  This slightly longer than ten minute feature (10:27) includes lots of footage of director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell talking about their approach to the film and their idea of constructing a horror film with three distinct acts.  I typically love to hear from the creators of a film discussing their project, but in the case of this segment, I felt that neither revealed anything groundbreaking.  At the sake of sounding like a pompous ass, I felt that the two of them discussed the film as if they were talking to amateurs.  I guess the title of this segment is very appropriate after all, since I would have preferred a 300 level course in horror.  The second feature, On Set With Insidious, is very similiar.  Containing mainly factoids from Whannell, this (8:15) feature is filmed behind the scenes on set.  We do get a few little bits of juiciness from the young actor that plays the coma induced Dalton and father Patrick Wilson.  Yet, this short segment seems more as an infomercial about how fun and upbeat it is on-set with director James Wan.  Not counting an overload of previews for other Sony Pictures films, the final feature is entitled Insidious Entities.  Clocking in at a dismal 6:32, this short segment is actually the most interesting group of the trio.  Leaving behind the rest of the cast and crew, this feature mainly includes interviews with the costume designer and the rest of the artists involved.  Their explanations for some of their artistic choices were very insightful and provided a much needed look into the production that seemed vacant from the other features.

Insidious certainly seems to be made from the same bricks and maybe even a similar floor plan to other haunted house films that were built before it.  Yet, it still comes across as a refreshing ghostly breath after the unfortunate remake and 3D route horror films have seemed to be taken recently.  The Blu-ray captures every creepy face and striking music chord in beautiful clarity.  Unfortunately, Sony Pictures let fans down with a disappointingly average amount of extras that fail to live up to expectations.  With a half a year full of disastrous major-studio horror films, Insidious and its Blu-ray debut is still a must have for genre film fans.

MOVIE RATING

BLU-RAY RATING