‘Insidious 2’ Reviews: Is It Scarier Than The Original?

If you're a thrill-seeker, then Sept. 13 (yes, Friday the 13th) is a huge day for you -- the release day of the much-anticipated horror flick, 'Insidious: Chapter 2.' The sequel looks to be one of the biggest horror movies of 2013, but does it meet its huge expectations? Find out! The evil spirits are back! Insidious: Chapter 2 hits theaters on Sept. 13 and the terror and thrills promise to be even bigger this time around. But is it a horror sequel classic, or a second installation dud? Let's see what the critics had to say.

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Reading Time: 3 minutes
September 13, 2013 7:40AM EDT
Insidious 2 Reviews
Image Credit: Courtesy of FilmDistrict

‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ Reviews

Variety

But where so many sequels seem like mere remakes of their predecessors, with bigger budgets and less imagination, Insidious: Chapter 2 feels like a genuine continuation of characters we enjoyed getting to know the first time around, and wouldn’t at all mind returning to again.

New York Times

A mess from start to finish — though, judging by the ending, this story won’t be over any time soon — Insidious: Chapter 2 is the kind of lazy, halfhearted product that gives scary movies a bad name. From its robotic acting to its generic props (enough already with the self-motivated children’s toys), this shoddy sequel, tacked together with the cynicism of a carnival barker, suggests that the director, James Wan, is long overdue for a vacation.

Los Angeles Times

But after the pleasurable free fall into old-fashioned nightmare artistry that was last summer’s The Conjuring, this busy-yet-dull sequel feels like Wan robotically flexing his manipulation of fright-film signposts, an exercise more silly than sinister.

New York Post

I rather liked James Wan’s original, occasionally silly Insidious — its creepy use of Tiny Tim’s “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” still haunts me. But this is one of the more pointless follow-ups ever, just an assortment of scary-movie tropes randomly doled out, with unavoidable jolts at regular intervals. Its main inspiration seems to be those YouTube prank videos wherein a seemingly placid scene is cut short by a ghoul screaming in your face.

San Francisco Chronicle

Fans of the first Insidious will walk into the theater knowing (1) which family member is possessed and (2) the nature of the supernatural forces. Screenwriter Leigh Whannell tries to compensate by simultaneously adding backstory and new drama. But it feels a little like sandwiching a cupcake with two waffles sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Calling all Insidious devotees — this sequel may be just for you, and only for you. If you’re not the type who loves cheap scares and watching movies with your hands half-covering your face, you might be better off opening your wallet for a different film. That being said, we actually liked Insidious: Chapter 2! Check out our review below and let us know what you think!

WATCH: ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’ Movie Review

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