Insidious: the last key – a review

This time ´round in the merry world of the further we delve deep in Elise´s childhood. What´s it like to grow up with these powers she’s got. And what secrets will her past unlock in the present as she and her two companions investigate a new dire case?

I’m a big Insidious fan. Bloomhouse productions can keep churning these movies out ‘til kingdom come and I’ll be first in line to buy the ticket. It has everything to do with my preference for ghost-stories over bloodshed and mayhem. The Insidious-series is everything that the Hostel-series is not (or what the Saw-franchise became).


A flawed screenplay

Having said this I must admit that Insidious: the last key is the weaker of the bunch. The scares, setting, acting are all good but, by now, a little fatigue has set in. Now it starts to annoy me somewhat that this movie tries desperately to tie itself to the first Insidious chapter. It doesn’t need to, it has Elise (Lin Shaye). She’s all the connection I need.

Who keeps going on about closing and locking doors but she actually closes none.

On the script level is where the main faults are visible. Leigh Whannell -always a solid scriptwriter- let’s himself get a bit too caught up in emotions and explanation that aren’t always needed.

Moreover, at some times, (I think) he breaks his original metaphysical rules Insidious is based up.

But maybe I’m wrong.

The movie does deliver on the ingenious thrills Whannell’s scripts are known for. Some of the twists and turns you see coming for miles. But then others are rather clever. Plus all the extra information about Elise didn’t bother me for once (normally I loathe this in later sequels).

One sin, however, that this script does do –which, always, irks me the wrong way: is the surprise coincidences. ’Suddenly meeting family members in a local diner’ or ‘somebody else happens to be a powerful clairvoyant.’ It’s all a bit too convenient.

Then there are the discarded plotlines that are a bit too obvious this time around. Just to name two (slight Spoilers): What happened to the bible? One minute they were looking for it and the next it was discarded. Or, weren’t there more people/spirits locked in the further? Did Elaine release them?

But on the plus side the script does offer a way to keep the franchise going without Shaye in the lead role. Which is a choice I could live with.

BTW very sneaky Whannell; writing a cool chase-scene and a kissing-scene for yourself.

Visually brilliant

Visually The last key is as brilliant as the other entries in the series. With the director of the taking of Deborah Logan on board (Adam Robitel) it could almost do no wrong.

However, as I’m writing this I do feel that this movie could have gone ‘further’ by actually going into the abandoned prison next door. But I guess that wasn’t meant to be (budget?). Still, a creepy basement and some scary suitcases are more than enough. And the minute you see the fog-floored darkness of the further you are in for a comfortable well-known ride.

Knowing that the three main actors (Shaye, Whannell and Sampson) got their character down to a key by now also helps the picture. We know the shenanigans of Specs and Tucker with Elise overseeing them like a den mother. This odd trio works and the actors play off each other easily.

More of the (insane) Insidious same
So Insidious: the last key is more of the same and that is a good thing. But this time ‘round some balls are dropped along the way and plotlines forgotten. That is a bad thing. It isn’t a bad film, not by a long shot. But to the high standards I hold the Insidious-series this entry could’ve been better.