Originally Posted by Gojirosan  Children of Insidious...
So, I've just done a double bill of two 2012 Hollywood horror films, The Possession (d: Ole Bornedal) and Sinister (d: Scott Derrickson). Both seem to be rivulets following the gush of big box office hit Insidious, yet oddly, they both are superior, though do not thus leap to the conclusion that these are great films just because they are better than Insidious.
The Possession takes on the hoary cliché of a child possessed by an evil spirit - here a dybbuk rather than Satan - and doesn't really bring much new to that well trodden path. The story unfolds predictably and is never surprising, but as familiar stories go, this one is told fairly well. It starts off rather dull, to be honest, but does improve. There is an arty experimentalism to shots and editing that keep the eyes interested and there are some very fine performances from the likeable cast, and a rather clumsy but well-intentioned effort to parallel childhood demonic possession with the effects of divorce. In all, this is an OK entertainment. It's not going to ever be seen as a classic or garner rave reviews, but it shuffles along quite pleasingly.
Much darker and yet paradoxically more commercial is Sinister. There are more ideas here and a better script all around. Lead performances are good, but the visual style is pretty flat and "comfortable". Sound and music are exceptional, however, and almost make up for the unadventurous look of the piece. It has a good ending, yet one can practically smell the desire to turn the antagonist into a Freddie-esque franchise, and this sullies the tone. Again, it is not bad, not a great film, and more likely to be remembered fondly than The Possession. Fans of Manhunter will smirk to themselves in recognition at several points; Sinister is not afraid to recycle old ideas either.
Neither film is a gem. Both are fine. But they are interesting in the sense of seeing the current trends of Hollywood horror, a trend aside from the found footage thing. I think we may say, and considering other recent films, that there is truly a "Post-Insidious" era upon us. |