Fear Comes Home.

This review contains spoilers.

My biggest issue with "Insidious: Chapter 3" was that it failed to add any new mythology or character development to the 'Insidious universe'. In contrast, "Insidious: The Last Key" gives fans tonnes of development into the character of Elise and the universe as a whole. Chapter 4 is a great follow-up to its predecessor as it serves audiences the information that Chapter 3 withheld. However, "Insidious: Chapter 3" is still the superior film - it's scarier, more atmospheric and a better-crafted film. Reviews for "The Last Key" have been weak, but I think it will satisfy fans of the series even if everything becomes a little too silly in the third act.

"Insidious: The Last Key" finally gives the audience what they have been demanding - even more Elise! The "Insidious" films are not blockbuster flicks, but they are staples of the modern horror genre. Elise became a fan favourite in the first instalment, and audiences have enjoyed seeing her in each entry ever since (I know I have!). Elise's role became much bigger in Chapter 3 when she co-lead the film alongside Quinn Brenner (Stefanie Scott). In Chapter 4? Elise is at the front and centre of the narrative. This film almost acts as a gift to Lin Shaye for her commitment to the series and for always giving strong performances. I thought Shaye delivered once again this time around. "The Last Key" also gave the audience a chance to see a more playful side to the character; we get to watch her joke around with her work partners and let loose, a stark contrast to what we usually get to see of Elise. Fans who love the portrayal of Elise in the previous three films should not fret as Shaye gives us plenty of stares into the dark, spirit communication, screaming and confrontation. This is Lin Shaye's career-defining role, and I am pleased "The Last Key" is a financial success as it means Shaye will work again and we, the audience, get to see more of the character. It is also refreshing to see an older woman as the protagonist of a horror film instead of typical teen characters.

Thankfully, "Insidious: The Last Key" has the talent of Shaye because the supporting cast members are not the strongest. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson's comedic duo, Specs and Tucker are hit or miss when it comes to being funny. For instance, a gag is introduced early on about Tucker's fascination with lights, and every time he says 'lights', he says it in an exaggerated and dramatic manner. This never succeeded in making the audience laugh, and I'm pleased the gag was dropped in the second half of the film. The pair did have some funny moments, but it is becoming clear that they are better in small doses. Spencer Locke was ok until she was confronted by the 'Key Man' - she over-acted the fear her character was feeling and at times, it seemed like she was having a sexual encounter with the villain rather than being attacked. Caitlin Gerard was not the most charismatic, and if she is to be the future face of the series, that is something she should work on. Gerard and Locke both appear too young to be the daughters of Bruce Davison, who appears too old to supposedly be Lin Shaye's younger brother. This issue could have been easily avoided if two older actresses were cast as the daughters. I think Blake Lively would have been an excellent choice for Imogen; not only does she look similar to Gerard but we know she is good at being terrified from her performance in "The Shallows".

Shaye may continue to do her character justice but does the writer? Yes. Leigh Whannell, the creator of Elise, uses "The Last Key" as an opportunity to flesh the character out. We get to find out where Elise grew up, what her family was like and how she dealt with her 'gift' as a child. I liked how the narrative took Elise back to her childhood home - it was possibly the best setting for an "Insidious" film yet. The film starts off strong by illustrating Elise's childhood. There are some scary moments where Elise and her younger brother, Christian are haunted by spirits as children. Elise's childhood also becomes twisted and disturbing when it is revealed she had an abusive father and her mother was murdered by a spirit- something she believes she caused by awakening a spirit. Elise has to return to the place that gave her many scars, both physically and mentally. The current resident starts to experience paranormal activity and contacts Elise for help. Elise also comes into contact with Christian for the first time in years - Christian resents Elise for leaving him with their abusive father, but when his own daughter, Melissa disappears into 'The Further', he soon needs Elise's help and forgives her. "Insidious: The Last Key" is packed to the brim with character development and mythology. Whannell has created his first ever fully dimensional character with Elise.

There are so many twists and turns throughout the film that I did not expect. Chapter 4 keeps the audience engaged with constant surprises - I will try and tackle them chronologically. The first ghost (a woman) that Elise encounters in present day (or 2010) leads her to the cellar, uncovering a door and informs Elise that something important is on the other side. As she enters, another woman is chained up, and Elise assumes it is the same ghost. However, it is soon revealed that this woman is actually alive and is being held captive by the man who phoned Elise, Ted (Kirk Acevedo). This was a truly shocking and unexpected moment. Elise summaries the discovery by stating that demons do not only exist in 'The Further'. This is an accurate and clever line. Early on in the film, Elise recalls the female ghost that is haunting her from her past. It turns out that Elise's first interaction with the 'ghost' as a teen was actually an interaction with a then-human prisoner - her father had captured her! The similarities between the two cases were shocking to both Elise and the audience. The audience also discovers that many women have been captured (and killed) throughout the years- it seems that this ghost causes men to become abusive and crazy. It is also revealed that one of Christian's daughters, Imogen (Caitlin Gerard) has the same gift as Elise. This is clearly a contingency plan in case Lin Shaye ever wants to exit the franchise; Imogen will likely be her apprentice in the next film and will eventually take her place. It was cool to discover that this is not only a power that Elise holds.  Finally, the importance of Christian's whistle is finally revealed in the third act. When Christian is given it by his mother, she says to blow it, and she will save him. Elise finds it and is seconds away from being killed in 'The Further' but blows it and her mother appears, killing 'Key Face'.

"Insidious: The Last Key" is a mostly average film. It does not do anything too wrong, but it is also never exceptional. However, the movie really starts to lose momentum towards the end. The last 20-30 minutes are the film's weakest moments. Horror flicks should build towards an exciting and horrific finale, and despite Chapter 4 hinting at this, ultimately, the finale is confusing, messy and pretty ridiculous. Both Melissa and Elise are trapped in 'The Further'. Melissa is trapped because (warning - film logic ahead!) Christian receives a photo of his childhood whistle from Elise, and instead of asking Else (who probably has it or at least knows its location), he breaks into the house to find it himself. This leads to Melissa's disappearance. This moment was the first time the film's characters acted dumb, conforming to genre conventions. It is Imogen who ventures into 'The Further' to save Elise and Melissa. This is probably the worst 'The Further' has ever been depicted- it was a single corridor instead of endless space. Hence, it does not take long for Imogen to find Elise who has also come across her father's spirit. There are weird visuals of the 'Key Man' walking women on chains as if they are dogs. Elise, her mother, Imogen and Melissa all confront the 'Key Man' together- it felt as if the film was trying to make a bold, intelligent statement about feminism yet it fails to convey anything other than disturbing imagery. The film may thoroughly develop Elise, but there is no development into the 'Key Man' - the audience never finds out why he turns men into psychopaths and women into dehumanised victims. Admittedly, the 'Key Man' is a creepy visual and his powers are fresh and original. Nonetheless, the film is unable to stick the landing resulting in an unfulfilled villain.

Another issue with this film is that it is missing a unique and definable aspect. The horror genre has evolved so much since "Insidious: Chapter 3" with the (financial and critical) hits of the genre being the more unconventional flicks: "Split", "Get Out", "It" and  "Happy Death Day". Those films either have a unique style, subject matter or gimmick. What is unique and original about the Insidious films? Nothing. They are probably the most conventional horror films out today. The film would have benefited with some stylisation - for example, "Annabelle: Creation" and "Ouija: Origin of Evil" are both period horror flicks and although I did not particularly enjoy the former, they both definitely have a distinct style and appear well-made. In contrast, "Insidious: Chapter 3" has period scenes that do not feel authentic and everything else is just like any other generic horror film. They really missed an opportunity here with the production and set design. This has been the worst received entry into the franchise, so if they make a fifth instalment, they need to focus on mise-en-scene, creative shots and elaborate (but suitable) set design.

Finally, does the film deliver scares? There are a handful of effective jump scares throughout. As already mentioned, the 'Key Man' looks scary and has scary powers, but audiences will not be satisfied with the character's climax. I have seen a lot of horror films, so it is rare for one to keep me up at night or stick with me...unsurprisingly, I carried on with my daily life just fine after watching "Insidious: The Last Key". Audience members did scream numerous times, and there are many discomforting and disturbing moments. I've seen scarier, but I've also seen much tamer.

"Insidious: The Last Key" is not as bad as most critics believe. It has jumpy moments, disturbing moments and moments where you want to look away. It was a smart choice to have the film revolve around fan favourite, Elise and the film does a good job developing the character and her backstory. Lin Shaye continues to deliver despite her supporting cast not being that great. The film falls apart in the final act which leaves viewers unsatisfied and underwhelmed. However, I believe what precedes is enough to please fans of the series. All in all, it is one of the better January-horror releases in recent years (but does that mean anything?).

51

/100

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