Hideous

Insidious (2011) is the first film in a horror franchise that Ms. Spenser has taken an interest in. She saw part 4 on a plane and now we’re watching the rest.

This installment starts with a family, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne and their three children, in a new house, a lovely old Craftsman. If you aren’t familiar with the Craftsman style, it is that old-timely comfortable style that everybody lives in on television. Lots of quarter-sawn oak, gables, that kind of thing. Very Pasadena. The young boy goes up into the attic, and falls off a ladder. He seems ok, but soon lapses into a coma. Months go by, and he doesn’t wake up. Soon, Byrne starts seeing or hearing creepy stuff, although Wilson never seems to.

It gets particularly bad one night, with a hideous creature appearing and the burglar alarm going off for no reason. This time, even Wilson sees it. For once, a family in a horror movie do the smart thing and move.

The problem is, the haunting follows them. Wilson’s mother (Barbara Hershey) drops by, and mentions that she has a friend that can help with this sort of thing. Shortly, the family gets a visit from Specs and Tucker - two comic relief Ghostbusters, who are the advance team for Elise, the head ghost hunter, and Ms. Spenser’s (and my) favorite part. Specs is Leigh Whannell, who wrote this movie (and Saw!) along with director James Wan. Tucker is Australian Angus Sampson. Once they determine that there is a real case, Elise (Lin Shaye) is brought in.

After some scary investigation, she very matter-of-factly gives the absurd explanation for the situation. Now Wilson is back in skeptic mode. Even though something is clearly going on, he thinks she is trying to swindle them. Oh, if only it was that easy.

The team of Elise, Specs and Tucker are what makes this movie more than the usual scary movie. They add some low-key comedy, along with their low-tech high-tech gear. Then Shaye comes in with a steely quality that is very appealing (I almost said, magnetic).

I’m not sure they are in the sequel, but the fourth film is all about her, so we are looking forward to it.