Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 20
Insidious 6 Draws Harsh Review for 1h 46m Return to Franchise Cliches
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 20

Insidious 6 Draws Harsh Review for 1h 46m Return to Franchise Cliches

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 20

Summary

  • The sixth “Insidious” film is faulted for more than routine sequel fatigue, with the review arguing it feels less like fresh horror than a kitschy carnival haunted house.
  • Jacob Chase’s 1h 46m PG-13 entry is criticized for telegraphed scares and derivative creature design, including a demon likened to Ozzy Osbourne cosplay and undead compared to costumed carnies.
  • The film still tries to reset the franchise with mostly new characters, while bringing back series mainstay Elise, played by Lin Shaye.
  • At its center, Amelia Eve’s Gemma discovers she is a “courier” able to enter the Further and bring entities back, a premise the review suggests fails to overcome the series’ creative decline.

Insights

Why did haunted-house tactics turn a highly anticipated Insidious reboot into what critics call a cheap carnival ride?
Can a terrifying endless pillow fort sequence save the sixth Insidious film from its heavily criticized demon designs?
How does introducing a human courier fundamentally change the supernatural rules of the Insidious franchise's terrifying Further?