INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2

After the terrifying events involving little Dalton, the Lamberts move into Josh's mother's house, convinced that the unsettling malevolent presences that were haunting them have finally left them. But things are not as they seem, and while Josh is under investigation for the mysterious death of the medium Elise Rainier that occurred in his home, Renai is the first to realize the new paranormal phenomena, as shadows and ominous noises begin to manifest again. Even little Dalton is visited by otherworldly presences at night, so Lorraine, Josh's mother, decides to contact the occult experts Specs and Tucker again, who this time ask for the help of the sensitive Carl, a former collaborator of Elise. After the incredible success of "Insidious" with both the public and critics, a sequel was immediately put into production that producers Jason Blum and Oren Peli have once again entrusted to James Wan (direction) and Leigh Whannel (screenplay), effectively reconstructing the entire team of the previous film, including the cast. Everyone returns in this sequel, even those who had passed away or were already in the afterlife, making "Insidious 2" one of those follow-ups that, together with its predecessor, creates a single great story. Therefore, if you haven't seen the first film, there are two options: either abandon the idea of going to see this second one, or —and I strongly recommend this option— first catch up with the first one, or you risk not understanding a single second in this macabre theater that is "Insidious 2 - Beyond the Mask". With a stroke of genius that we frankly wouldn't have expected, "Insidious 2" begins in 1986, showing us the first encounter between a young Josh and the medium Elise in that episode that Lorraine Lambert recounted to her son's wife in the moments preceding the final climax of the first film. In the introduction, we will therefore see one of Josh's first astral travels and his childhood encounter with the Bride in Black, the terrifying presence that has since attached itself like a parasite to the soul of our protagonist. And it is precisely on the figure of this unsettling smiling lady with a black veil on her face that much of this sequel focuses, aiming to delve into the background of this being without holding back on surprises and insights of a certain interest, which have the merit of imbuing this boogeyman with a charm through an attempt at revelation that elsewhere might have made this "monster" more banal. Numerous are the references to the previous film, even with some scenes reproduced from an alternative point of view that give meaning to what had previously remained unresolved, as if "Insidious 2" was already part of "Insidious 1" when the latter was being filmed. And once again, in what, according to statements, should be his farewell to the horror genre, James Wan proves to be a director with "balls", capable of creating moments of great tension with simple and old tricks as cinema but damn effective, things that the great masters of the past did. The watchword is "atmosphere" and in "Insidious 2", just as in "Insidious" and "The Conjuring", there is plenty of it, especially in those scenes set in the "monster's" house, where first-person shots are also used, winking at the mockumentary style. It must also be said, however, that "Insidious 2" fails to repeat the miracle of the previous chapter and that a sense of déjà-vu is constantly present, since —although it finds a completely original path— the screenplay tends to retrace almost all the steps of the other film. Then there are a couple of notes to make about this sequel regarding some choices that are not entirely convincing. First of all, the choice to have the characters arrive too late to the supernatural events that the audience already knows from the end of the first film seems a bit unfortunate, thus giving the impression that for the first half hour (excluding the prologue) time is almost being wasted to extend the runtime. Secondly, screenwriter Whannel —who also this time takes on the role of the likable ghost hunter Specs— takes the liberty of inserting curious situations into the story that create real time paradoxes. It is pleasant to witness these back-and-forths in space and time, but in the end, they appear as somewhat gratuitous expedients that dangerously undermine the logic behind the film. The cast is excellent, with each actor perfectly in their role, with the only new addition being Steve Coulter (also seen in "The Conjuring") in the role of the sensitive Carl, a figure who practically replaces that of Lin Shaye from the first film, who is nevertheless present in the cast. In short, although it does not reach the beauty of "Insidious" —nor the equally successful "The Conjuring"— "Insidious 2" nevertheless settles at quite high quality levels and deserves greater credit if one considers that we are facing almost an "instant movie", made in a hurry to ride the success of the predecessor and moreover shot by Wan in his free time between the end of filming "The Conjuring" and the start of "Fast & Furious 7". Kudos! And an "Insidious 3" is also on the way, but this time James Wan will not be part of the team.