Insidious: The Last Key

THIS second prequel to the Insidious franchise (four movies in total so far) follows the events that lead up to the first movie.

Parapsychologist Dr Elise Reiner (Shaye) wakes up after a bad dream about her childhood, where she is punished by her father (Josh Stewart) because of her ability to see and hear ghosts.

When locked in the basement, young Elise (Ava Kolker) accidentally releases a demon, and her beloved mother Audrey (Tessa Ferrer) gets killed as a result.

In the present day, Elise gets a call from Ted Garza (Kirk Acevedo), the new owner of the house she once lived in. Ted is haunted by ghosts, and needs Elise’s help.

Initially reluctant, Elise decides to help Ted alone, but her usual sidekicks, Specs (Whannell) and Tucker (Sampson), decide to tag along anyway.

Once there, Elise is not only forced to confront a powerful malevolent entity, but also the ghosts of her past.

If you have no clue about the previous movies, you can still follow the premise of this story. However, some elements do seem like an afterthought.

Just when you think the movie is about to end, we are introduced to Elise’s estranged brother Christian (a completely underutilised Bruce Davidson), and her nieces, Imogen (Caitlin Gerard) and Melissa (Spencer Locke), who are so pretty that they drive Specs and Tucker to distraction.

Even the attempts at humour – such as a line by Tucker to Ted that “she is the psychic and we are her sidekicks” – seem forced.

Nonetheless, it checks all the

boxes for a decent horror film, including screams, and sudden ghostly appearances. And yes, you will jump off your seat a couple of times. If you are a fan of the series, you will probably like this movie too.