Movie review: 'Insidious: The Last Key' fails to unlock new tale of horror

Lin Shaye is the only saving grace otherwise the film feels like it has been stretched just to justify its runtime of 103 minutes

When it comes to films, horror is probably the hardest genre to pull off. Most tropes have been done to death, and though jump scares form an integral part of these films, too many of them are just a way of hiding shabby writing. It doesn’t help that this genre has never been taken too seriously by cinephiles, even though there have been a few horror masterpieces; you hardly find The Exorcist in anyone’s Top 10 list. 

In 2010, James Wan’s Insidious was, with its share of flaws, a truly entertaining film. And, because of it, Wan’s The Conjuring also amassed a lot of attention and Insidious turned into a film franchise. A horror film franchise is just a sophisticated way of presenting a new story, with a few familiar characters, under a hit film brand just to rake in some moolah at the box office. 

Thus, we were introduced to Insidious: Chapter 2, a sequel to the first film, and Insidious: Chapter 3 touted as a prequel to the events of the first film. The latest Insidious: The Last Key is a sequel to the prequel. I think most franchises do it on purpose so that the audience is busy figuring out the chronology and forgets how bad the film is. 

 

Directed by Adam Robitel, The Last Key revolves around parapsychologist Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) facing her demons, both literally and figuratively, when she is asked to investigate paranormal activity at a New Mexico family home that once used to be her childhood home. Set before the events of the first film, the fourth instalment puts Elise in the limelight along with the old miserable childhood trope. 

In the 1950s, Elise lived in the said family home with her abusive father, Gerald (Josh Stewart), and edgy brother, Christian (Pierce Pope, the older version is portrayed by Bruce Davison). On one fateful night, she opens a mysterious red door, inadvertently unravelling a cornucopia of supernatural beings. Fast forward to 2010 Elise is beckoned by the present owner of the house, complaining of strange disturbances. Hesitant at first, she and her aides, Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson), decide to pay a visit and get rid of the entities for good. 

The storyline is not unique and it’s easy to figure which way the plot will move. If you are a fan of horror films, you’ll be able to identify the usual tropes throughout. The mysterious door, hanging like the Sword of Damocles, begging to be unlocked is a trope seen before in umpteen horror films. Much like every other horror film, The Last Key has its share of jump scares, but not with the same subtlety that the first film had. Just like an episode of Black Mirror’s third season, the audience is able to tell when they can expect a supernatural being to appear in the frame. The film feels like it has been stretched just to justify its runtime of 103 minutes. 

The common element in all four films has been Shaye, and for good reason. The first film saw her character being killed by the antagonist, but because of her acting chops, Shaye has been incorporated in all four films. The Last Key, she carries the entire film on her own. Without over-the-top expressions, she manages to grab your attention every time she is in the frame. She is, perhaps, the only reason why many wouldn’t walk out of the theatre half way through. 

Insidious: The Last Key is less of a horror film and more of Shaye displaying her calibre. Without any novel ideas, the film underlines why the genre is not taken seriously. A far cry from the first film, the fourth instalment is bearable only because of its unconventional heroine.